AISD families make push at Capitol

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Some Austin Independent School District families came together Wednesday afternoon to seek support from Texas State Legislators.

“This is a grass roots movement of parents, community members, across the state saying we've had enough. We need education funded,” said Allen Weeks.

Weeks has two children about to enter elementary school and is the organizer of the Wednesday gathering at the State Capitol. He had a printout of every legislator's office, and handed them out to the dozen or so parents who showed up. Those parents were then given a directive to visit specific Representative and State Senator offices and hand out a copy of the statements they received, which included information on an upcoming state education rally.

“And that's what we're asking them to do, is find that funding," Weeks said. "Don't tell us you don't have it, find it. That's their constitutional responsibility.”

“We're going to catch some legislative staff, maybe on the way out toward the end of the day. In their offices,” said Edith Disler.

Disler has twins that are in the first grade at Becker Elementary school. Her children joined her while she went door-to-door to seek support from legislators. She, like many parents, is not just concerned about her school, but the teaching staff.

“You develop a very tight bond with the teachers and the staff at the school's," she said. “To lose school teachers is like losing members of your family. Haven't really had that discussion with my children yet, but I suspect we'll know by some long faces or absences tomorrow about the bad news.”

“That's why we're here, we brought children. We want to make sure that the legislature just can't pretend like we're all numbers,” said Hilary Whitfield. Whitfield is a parent of Barton Hills Elementary and joined another parent from Zilker Elementary school to visit Senator Florence Shapiro's office. Senator Shapiro is the Education Committee Chair.

“We were not able to visit with the Senator today,” said Susan Slattery. Instead, the two parents dropped off information about an upcoming rally and another statement asking for more education funding support.

Slattery brought her daughter with her on the trip. 

“I also feel like it's rough on the kids. They're well aware. In some ways this is interesting. They're getting a civic lesson, seeing how politics works. Maybe not in such a great way. The kids are concerned. They talk about it. We're trying to help them feel like they're apart of making the effort to, to save their schools,” she said.

A state education rally is planned for March 12th on the steps of the state Capitol.