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Parents and students bring SLPS 'Families Day of Action' stories to Jefferson City, district leaders say
Summary
A district PAC representative told the St. Louis Public Schools legislative committee that nearly 150 parents, students and educators traveled to Jefferson City Feb. 24 to share personal stories with lawmakers, including students who urged continued support for teachers and schools.
A representative of the St. Louis Public Schools parent action council told the district’s legislative committee on March 19 that nearly 150 parents, students, teachers and community members attended the SLPS Families Day of Action in Jefferson City on Feb. 24 to meet lawmakers and share firsthand stories.
The PAC representative said the event, now in its fifth year, was the largest yet and included about 40 students from a single high school who spoke at the rally. She described the most “impactful” moments as student testimony, including an 8‑year‑old who spoke with Representative Lisha Bosley about overhearing a teacher crying because she could not pay rent.
The representative said the PAC distributed the committee’s legislative priorities and that many attendees focused on telling personal stories rather than lobbying technical policy details. Committee members and the speaker noted that such in-person stories can sway legislators who may otherwise lack on-the-ground information.
An AFT St. Louis representative also spoke, urging collaboration: “We’re better together,” the union representative said, adding that lawmakers respond when they hear directly from families.
Committee members discussed ways to support parent engagement, including weekly briefing reports and volunteer training, and asked staff to coordinate follow-up outreach before the next scheduled meeting.
