Missouri PTA is actively engaged in advocating for the children of Missouri.  One of the ways that this occurs is our Town Hall Meetings.  This year our meetings took place beginning in December and ending in March, from Grandview to Springfield and several other cities.  Over 200 people were able to meet with their legislators and hear their stands on issues concerning Missouri's children.  The meetings were moderated by a Missouri PTA representative, and prepared questions were given to each legislator.  Questions from attendees were also taken at the end of the meetings.

The four rally questions were taken from the 2010 Missouri PTA Legislative Priority Statements and given to each legislator prior to the rally. Each elected official was given the opportunity to respond to each issue but not able to debate each others’ positions. Missouri PTA develops these priority statements from resolutions passed at our annual conventions by our general membership. Two of the questions presented to the legislators were as follows:

The responses from legislators varied on each of the issues, however, there was quite a bit of discussion on the budget and how each of these issues could be affected by it. The majority of the legislators would support our position with the Third Party reporting concerns but would need to see the specific language of the bill before completely committing. Discussion of vouchers/tuition tax credits brought some interesting discussion because of where the two different parties stand on that issue, however, everyone seemed to agree that something needs to be done to improve failing schools. . A major concern at all of the meetings was the massive funding cuts that are having to be made at every level of state government.  There are many opinions about how best to deal with these cuts, but all agreed that education must be a top priority when creating a new budget. 

Legislative Rallies have proven to be a great way to reach both legislators and parents, where  they are able to meet and share their thoughts and positions on issues affecting the children of Missouri. The coverage of rallies by numerous newspapers and television stations has also helped Missouri PTA educate the public on our Priority Issues. Thank you to everyone who helped schedule and conduct the MOPTA Town Hall Rallies. It is through your hard work and dedication that we have had another successful year.  Please consider holding a rally in your school district this next school year. There is a team of MOPTA members who can help you make a difference through grassroots advocacy!   For more information, contact Denise McCarter, Vice-President Legislation and Advocacy This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .