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Families Empowered was on hand for the National School Choice Week rally at the Texas state capitol in Austin. A coalition of over 1,500 school choice supporters – teachers, parents, students and community leaders – voiced their support of school choice on the steps of the Capitol.
“I believe when we give parents a choice, we give students a chance,” said Land Commissioner George P. Bush, one of the speakers at the morning’s rally. Bush joined Senator Donna Campbell in sharing messages of family engagement and education reform.
On Friday, January 29, 2015 over 1,500 supports rallied for school choice on the steps of the State Capitol in Austin.
The students, high school bands and dance teams were especially rowdy during the march to the capitol and while performing the 2015 National School Choice Week dance.
For some families, a trip to Austin can be a burden, yet those voices deserved to be heard. Families Empowered coordinated the outreach in Houston and San Antonio, filling four charter buses (and a van!) with parents, students and teachers – who wouldn’t have otherwise been able to attend. Almost 200 guests came with the Families Empowered team to Austin. After the rally, many of those parents and students were able to meet directly with legislative staff. They shared personal stories of school choice, and the victories and frustrations they have faced. Those families told our story: the story of every family in Texas, who seeks school options.
Families Empowered is proud to have organized such a meaningful day. We remain grateful to our planning partners and our community for the support. We will not remain quiet while children wait in low-performing schools, or while parents are in need of more options. We are committed to improving access to school options for all parents in Texas.
Now is the time to keep our eyes on the legislature, and see what changes our work will produce. Follow Families Empowered on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date our news and events.
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