I am a father of three in the Francis Howell School District.
Click "GET INVOLVED" for the Francis Howell Forward website and refer to the posts below for info on the upcoming election.
About Save Francis Howell
Our Mission
At Save Francis Howell, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all students. Our mission is to ensure that every child's educational needs are met through community engagement and advocacy.
Francis Howell at a Crossroads: Why Gryder and Oelke Are the Leaders Our Schools Need
For decades, the Francis Howell School District (FHSD) stood as a beacon of academic excellence in Missouri. Families moved to the district for its high-quality education, strong community values, and commitment to preparing students for success. But in recent years, a political shift has undermined these strengths. With outside political action committees (PACs), including one from Texas, funneling money into our local school board elections, Francis Howell has become a battleground in the national culture wars.
At the center of this controversy are school board members Randy Cook and Accomplice (Previously Bertrand, now candidate Sturm), backed by the Francis Howell Families PAC and financially supported by far-right donors. Under their leadership, the district has experienced a disturbing decline in transparency, educational integrity, and fiscal responsibility. In contrast, candidates Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke offer a much-needed return to community-driven, student-focused leadership that prioritizes public education over political agendas.
Please support Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke for School Board!
The Damage Done by Cook and Accomplice (Previously Bertrand, now Sturm)
Randy Cook and Ashley Sturm (taking the place of Adam Bertrand who appropriately stepped aside), along with their allies on the board, have pushed an extremist agenda that has hurt students, teachers, and families across the district. Their actions include:
• Book Bans and Curriculum Censorship: The far-right board majority tried to eliminate elective courses such as Black History and Black Literature, which would have severely restricted students' access to diverse perspectives. They amended to say they could stay, but had to remove reference to the standards related to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The classes did stay in the course offering, but they had to be diluted. This regressive move has drawn widespread criticism from parents and educators alike.
• Defunding Critical Educational Resources: Cook and Accomplice (Previously Bertrand, now candidate Sturm) voted against updated math materials, rejected professional development funding for teachers, and removed widely used educational tools like BrainPop. These decisions directly impact students’ ability to succeed academically.
• Partisan Interference and Lack of Transparency: Despite school board positions being nonpartisan, Cook and Accomplice (Previously Bertrand, now Sturm) have repeatedly aligned themselves with the far-right Missouri Republican Party and special interest groups like Moms for Liberty. Their political alliances have led to increased legal costs and policy changes that serve an ideological agenda rather than student needs.
• Promoting Private School Vouchers: Cook and Accomplice (Previously Bertrand, now Sturm) have ties to school privatization advocates who seek to divert public education funds to private institutions. This shift threatens to strip resources from FHSD, ultimately harming students and teachers while benefiting private entities with little accountability.
• Reversal of Anti-Racism Resolution: In 2020, following national protests against racial injustice, the Francis Howell School Board adopted an anti-racism resolution committing to oppose racism and discrimination. However, in July 2023, the board, now with a conservative majority, voted 5-2 to rescind this resolution. Board Vice President Randy Cook stated that the board "doesn't need to be in the business of dividing the community." This action drew criticism from civil rights groups and community members who felt it sent a negative message to marginalized communities.
• Policy Changes on Educational Materials: In September 2024, the board voted to reverse a policy that explicitly banned educational materials containing hate speech, false science, and false historical claims. This decision raised concerns among students and parents about the potential inclusion of harmful content in the curriculum.
Elimination and Reinstatement of Black Studies Courses: In December 2023, the board voted 5-2 to remove elective courses on Black History and Black Literature, citing concerns about the inclusion of social justice standards from the Southern Poverty Law Center. This decision led to protests from students and parents who valued these courses for providing comprehensive historical perspectives. Following community backlash, the board announced plans to reinstate the courses with a "politically neutral" curriculum.
Gryder and Oelke: A Vision for the Future
Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke represent a stark contrast to the current board majority. Their leadership would focus on restoring integrity, transparency, and excellence in Francis Howell schools. Here’s why they are the right choice for FHSD:
• Dedicated to Public Education: Unlike their opponents, Gryder and Oelke firmly believe that public schools are the foundation of strong communities. They oppose voucher programs that siphon taxpayer dollars away from FHSD, ensuring that every child has access to high-quality education.
• Advancing Equity and Inclusion: In an increasingly globalized world, students must be prepared to engage with diverse cultures, ideas, and perspectives. Gryder and Oelke support curriculum policies that foster critical thinking and inclusivity, ensuring students are well-equipped for future success.
• Prioritizing Student and Teacher Needs: Both candidates are committed to investing in students and educators. They support restoring funding for instructional materials, professional development, and social-emotional learning programs that have been undermined by the current board.
• Ensuring Fiscal Responsibility: Gryder and Oelke will focus on smart financial management that benefits students, rather than wasting taxpayer dollars on lawsuits and ideological battles. Their leadership will emphasize financial stability and transparency in decision-making.
The Stakes for Francis Howell
APRIL 8, 2025
The upcoming election will determine whether Francis Howell continues down a path of politicized education policies or returns to its roots as a top-performing district that puts students first. The choice is clear: Amy Gryder and Sarah Oelke are the candidates who will restore accountability, protect public education, and create an environment where all students can thrive.
It’s time to reject the divisive politics that have taken hold of our school board. By voting for Gryder and Oelke, we can ensure that Francis Howell remains a district that serves students, respects educators, and upholds the values of academic excellence and community integrity.
APRIL 8, 2025 - VOTE
AMY GRYDER
AND
SARAH OELKE
to ensure our kids receive a quality education and we can restore Francis Howell to the position as a beacon of academic excellence in Missouri.
Why the Francis Howell Families PAC Is Not Family-Oriented
The name Francis Howell Families PAC suggests a group dedicated to the well-being of families and students in our school district. But when you look beyond the branding and into their actions, a very different picture emerges. Despite their claims, this PAC has actively pushed policies that divide our community, harm students, and exclude many families from feeling seen, safe, and supported.
Here’s why Francis Howell Families PAC is not truly family-oriented:
1. They Exclude Diverse Families
FHF PAC’s efforts to roll back diversity and inclusion in our schools—including revoking the district’s anti-racism resolution and eliminating Black History and Literature courses—send a clear message: only certain families matter. If you’re a Black family, an interracial family, an immigrant family, or one that values inclusive education, this PAC is not fighting for you.
Being family-oriented means recognizing all families. The PAC’s actions are the opposite of that.
2. They Push a Narrow, Ideological Agenda
The PAC consistently promotes a far-right, Christian nationalist worldview. That might reflect the views of some families, but certainly not all. Our district includes LGBTQ+ families, religious minorities, multiracial families, and families who want their children to learn about the world’s complexity.
A truly family-centered group embraces the full diversity of the community. This PAC seeks to erase it.
3. They Ignore and Undermine Students
When students protested the cancellation of Black-centered electives, the PAC-backed board ignored them. When students expressed concerns about losing safe, inclusive spaces, they were dismissed.
Supporting families means supporting students—listening to them, respecting them, and creating classrooms where they can see themselves in the curriculum. Instead, this PAC treats students like political pawns.
4. They Create Division, Not Unity
The Francis Howell Families PAC has stoked culture wars in our schools, framing educators as enemies and accusing curriculum of being “woke indoctrination.” This kind of rhetoric only creates fear, mistrust, and polarization—none of which are good for children, families, or public education.
Families want safety, stability, and community—not constant political drama.
5. They Care More About Politics Than Education
Instead of focusing on improving schools—like boosting reading scores, supporting teachers, or expanding student mental health resources—the PAC spends its energy on ideological crusades. Real family-oriented groups care about kids’ learning, not political posturing.
Bottom Line:
Francis Howell Families PAC is not for families. They are for control.
Control over what kids learn. Control over whose stories are told. Control over who belongs.
True family-oriented leadership values all students, respects all families, and works to make schools inclusive, safe, and high-achieving for everyone—not just a select few.
It’s time we call this PAC what it really is: a political machine using the word “family” as a smokescreen for exclusion and division.
Despite its name, the Francis Howell Families PAC (FHF PAC) has taken actions that many argue are not truly “family-oriented”—especially if "family-oriented" means supporting all families within the diverse Francis Howell community.
Here's how the PAC contradicts its own branding:
1. Excludes and Marginalizes Diverse Families
FHF PAC’s agenda has focused on removing anti-racism initiatives and courses that reflect the experiences of Black Americans. By opposing inclusive curriculum—like Black History and Literature electives—they send a message that not all families’ stories or identities are welcome in the school system. That’s not inclusive, nor family-centered for non-white, multiracial, or socially conscious families.
2. Promotes a Narrow Ideological Definition of “Family”
The PAC has supported school board members and policies aligned with a far-right, Christian nationalist worldview, which excludes families who don’t fit that mold—such as LGBTQ+ families, non-Christian families, interracial families, and others. A truly family-oriented organization would support all types of families, not just those who share a specific ideology.
3. Undermines Student Voices and Well-Being
Students protested the removal of Black history courses and the revocation of the anti-racism resolution, but the PAC-backed board ignored their concerns. Prioritizing political ideology over student voices, mental health, and a safe, representative learning environment is inherently anti-family. Supporting children means listening to them.
4. Sows Division and Fear in the Community
Rather than building unity, the PAC has fostered a culture war environment—accusing teachers and administrators of pushing a “woke” agenda and labeling inclusive education as dangerous. This increases tension among parents, students, and staff and creates an environment of fear and suspicion—not support and care, which are the foundations of healthy families and communities.
5. Politicizes Education Instead of Supporting Learning
By pouring money into school board races and pushing ideological agendas, FHF PAC has made education about politics instead of children’s growth and academic excellence. Real family-centered organizations support schools in being safe, nurturing, and intellectually rich environments, not political battlegrounds.
Francis Howell Families PAC is not family-oriented—unless you define "family" in an extremely narrow, exclusionary way. Real support for families means respecting diversity, prioritizing student needs, and fostering unity, not division.
References:
Francis Howell School Board may consider revised version of anti-racism resolution it dropped. https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/news/2023/07/26/francis-howell-school-board-may-consider-revised-version-of-anti-racism-resolution-it-dropped
Missouri school board reinstates Black history courses on condition they are 'politically neutral'Fuming students, parents and community leaders respond to Francis Howell School Board's decision to https://katv.com/news/nation-world/missouri-school-board-reinstates-black-history-courses-on-condition-they-are-politically-neutral-francis-howell-st-louis-education-race-racism-literature-crisis-in-the-classroom
Francis Howell school board reverses ban on hate speech, false information in educational materials https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/education/francis-howell-school-board-reverses-ban-on-hate-speech-educational-materials/63-464257ac-5f5d-42e7-bffd-e9d9e955dfc0
‘Quit playing politics’; Francis Howell School Board gets pushback on policy proposals dealing with trans students & library books
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgy-4cQh2Os
Francis Howell school board considers lifting hate speech ban | STLPR. The Francis Howell school board on Thursday will vote on a policy amendment that would allow hate speech, false science and false historical claims in educational materials
Francis Howell board takes step to ban gender identity talks | STLPR https://www.stlpr.org/education/2024-06-21/francis-howell-school-board-tables-gender-identity-book-ban-measures
http://francishowellforward.org/
https://library.law.howard.edu/civilrightshistory/blackrights/jimcrow
Gaslighting in Francis Howell. https://www.midriversnewsmagazine.com/opinion/gaslighting-in-francis-howell/article_55da7144-cf73-11ee-a7cd-27a1c390af67.html
https://www.fhsd5.com/francis-howell-families-pac/
https://www.fhsd5.com/who-are-the-fhsd-5/
https://www.reddit.com/r/StLouis/comments/155w39r/francis_howell_school_board/?rdt=38070
https://www.francishowellforward.org/francis-howell-issues
https://www.fhsd5.com/francis-howell-families-pac/