Parents and Students - Please Read and Sign for our Movement

This is for Every Parent and Student in Every School in Texas.  It started in Cedar Park, but we are all one in Texas and we love our teachers and coaches and principals. 

As parents, our primary responsibility is always to protect and stand up for our children and our specific shared goal today is to save the 2020/2021 In Person School Year and extra-curricular activities of our children.

·         We, as informed parents of students, many of whom participate in extra-curricular activities such as athletics, band, and many other outstanding areas, understand the medical information provided.  We choose to have our children attend school starting September 7th or earlier, as the UIL has adopted, in person, including participation in athletics and all other extra-curricular activities.

·         We, as informed parents, choose to have our children continue to participate in training and practice programs that have been going on safely all summer and we choose to have our kids attend and start those camps.

·         We, as informed parents, do not wish to force our thoughts and opinions on the parents that want to choose all online schooling.  We are absolutely supportive of those that do not want to go back to school.   The 70-80% that responded in the LISD survey that want to go back to school (which seems to reflect the state-wide preference in Texas) would ask that we both have the opportunity to choose.  We don’t oppose anyone, we just ask that we be #United4Choice when it comes to school and sports and all other extra-curricular activities.

·         We, as informed parents, believe the #EducationIsEssential and that just as grocery stores are essential to enable us to feed our children’s bodies, in-person educators and coaches are absolutely essential to feed our children’s minds and spirits.

·         For many of our children, extra-curricular activities, sports specifically, are a driving force to keep our children actively engaged in school, and we fear that the reality of losing this critical motivator will be far more detrimental long-term to their lives than this virus.

My name is Jason Malmquist, and my children go to Cedar Park High School.  I’m asking that you personally stand up, and actively gather others with a positive, encouraging voice to let those in power know we are just asking them to do the right thing: Allow our kids go out and play, march, go to school in person and fully participate. Let them choose to have their full public-school experience!

I am asking parents of athletes and students all over Texas to organize at your schools.  Talk as parents, and join our voice.  Join it with a positive echo and tone!  Parents in Leander ISD want you to join our groups from Cedar Park, Leander, Vandergrift, Vista Ridge, Rouse and Glenn.  We're asking parents to join and sign from every school, ones we know like Coppell, Westlake, Lake Travis, Katy, North Shore, Willowridge, Manvel, Shadow Creek, Allen, Southlake Carroll, Tyler John Tyler, Marshall, Lufkin, Plano, Judson, Steele, Denton Guyer, and other schools from all across the great state of Texas to let everyone know that you understand the situation, and that you want your children to have the choice to go to school, participate in extra-curricular activities, and play sports this fall.

We are asking Governor Abbott and all of our Elected Officials at the state and local level: Please hear our plea!

In Central Texas, we’re asking the Health Authority for Austin-Travis County and Dr. Mark Escott: Please hear our plea! These mandates are crushing the spirits of our children.

We ask all school superintendents and school boards across the state of Texas: Please hear our plea!  #EducationIsEssential and our kids NEED to be back with their coaches and teachers, competing and learning the lessons that will forever guide them in life.

There is no making up a year.  When this fall is gone, it will be gone forever.  We will sacrifice being allowed to sit in the stands if we must. We will sacrifice and set up distance areas in our own homes, if we must. We will sacrifice so that our children can fulfill the dreams they have worked toward for much of their young lives.

 

Please join me and the growing majority of parents that are #United4Choice .