Parents ask board to reinstate PASAC cultural liaison after position cut

Jame Morgan, chair of the Parent Advisory Council for African American Students (PASAC) and parent of a Saint Paul Public Schools student, told the board during public comment that the district’s decision to eliminate the PASAC cultural liaison position is causing a loss of trust and engagement with families.

Morgan said the liaison — a district‑funded position that organized meetings, provided resources and advocated for families — had been cut from the current budget. He described the post as previously half‑time and said restoring it would prevent the community from losing institutional knowledge and parental participation. “Without this leadership, the parents of PASAC are being forced to do these things without district support,” Morgan said.

Why it matters: Morgan and other parents warned the board that, in past years when the liaison position was cut, PASAC meetings stopped and family engagement declined, particularly harming families in schools with larger Black and minority student populations. Morgan asked the board to “reconsider reinstating the position at least part time” and to find alternate budget savings to preserve family engagement capacity.

Board response: Chair Sherry Henderson and other directors listened during the public comment period; no formal action was taken immediately. The comment was recorded in the meeting’s public‑comment record and will be part of the district’s budget and community engagement materials as the board finalizes the FY26 budget.