The following petition was drafted independently of the Laguna Blanca faculty and administration and reflects the views and opinions of those undersigned. To whom it may concern, We, the alumni, truly value the education and opportunity that Laguna Blanca has provided us, and hope to pass on this tradition of greatness to later generations of students. We therefore have an obligation to stand for what we feel is best for our alma mater. We stand united against the removal of the very teachers who made our experience at Laguna Blanca exceptional. While the current economic situation may warrant certain cuts, a public statement issued by Laguna's spokeswoman Tara Broucqsault made it absolutely clear that the recent staffing decisions concerning the History department was not a financial decision. We worry that these decisions will cripple the education of future students. Furthermore, we worry about the fate of certain other teachers. Their fate remains unclear. Thus we respectfully and forcefully put forward the following requests: 1. That although we understand certain cuts must be made, Mr. Shertzer's and Ms. Paradis' contracts for the 2009-2010 school year be renewed. 2. That teachers be given a clear warning before their contract is not renewed and time to resolve any problems. 3. That in order to further the administration's understanding of the effectiveness of its staff, better lines of communication be established between the student body, the parents, the faculty, and the administration, including, but not limited to, an improved teacher evaluation system. 4. That the administration consider more fully the effect on the students and their education before reviewing any further staffing decisions.