On 20 November, hundreds of bags will be placed outside WA's Parliament house in a silent demonstration.
Each bag will carry the words, drawings and voices of Western Australian students, families and educators who have been let down by our education system.
For too many WA children, school is not the safe and supportive place it should be.
Systemic gaps affect children from kindergarten through to high school leaving families to shoulder financial and emotional burdens, and teachers to stretch themselves beyond breaking point.
We’re asking you to help make these invisible struggles visible.
Every experience matters,
whether it's a sentence, a child's drawing or a voice note.
How you can contribute
You can share your experience in any format that feels right for you:
✍️ Write it down
A short message or story of your experience is all that’s needed. A sentence, a paragraph, a page. Whatever you can manage.
🎨 Draw or paint
Sometimes pictures say what words can’t. You could ask your child to draw a picture of how school has made them feel.
🎵 Record a voice message
If you use an AAC device to communicate [or this just suits you to do] then you can send through a voice message.
A note on privacy
Please don’t include names, school details, or any personally identifiable information.
This helps protect you, your child, and educators from any potential negative consequences — while still allowing your story to be heard.
Journalists will aso be in attendance at the demonstration and your bag’s tag will likely be photographed or filmed.
📧 How to submit
Share or upload your contribution using the form below. To protect your identity no personal information is collected.
Share your story here 👇
Permission and media notice By taking part, you give permission for your tag and story to be displayed at the Keep Your Promises – WA Education in Crisis visual protest and in related advocacy activities. Media may be present and may photograph or film the display. Please make sure your story is de-identified. If you forget, volunteers will do this for you before it is displayed.
🎒 What happens next
Your story will be printed, tagged and placed on a bag outside Parliament House on 20 November.
Each bag will represent a voice calling for change in Western Australia’s education system.
Parents, grandparents, teachers, education assistants, therapists, advocates – you can all share your story or concerns for the children falling through the cracks in WA’s education system.
Our friends at Square Peg Round Whole and Accountability for Children in Education Western Australia (ACE WA).
Most importantly – we need your stories. You can send through your stories here or email them to ACEinWA@outlook.com or sprwpodcast@gmail.com
No – anyone who has been let down by the education system in WA is included. Be that through the public education system, home education, SIDE or independent or other schools.
Thanks to very generous donors bags have been donated that need tags so you do not need to purchase a bag.
If you would like you can donate to the campaign through the Go Fund Me page.
Or you can order a bag and tag by donating $5 per bag to the Go Fund Me page.
When the protest ends, all bags will be donated to a charity supporting children and families.
Yes, in 2022 Square Peg Round Whole and ACE WA filled the steps of Parliament. Each bag carried a story of how WA’s education system had failed children, families and educators. Change was promised but hasn’t happened. If anything, things are worse. We are holding them accountable for their promises.
Thank you to our friends at SPRW & ACEWA for their advocacy.
If you need support, please contact
Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14
Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800
Carers WA – 1300 227 377
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Specialist education advocacy services
Developmental Disability WA provide specialist education advocacy services for parents negotiating the school journey for their child with disability.
Maxine Drake and the team at DDWA are highly skilled, knowledgeable and supportive. They will listen and work with you straight away. There is no intake system and no waitlist.
Membership of DDWA is free for individuals and families.
More info: education advocacy service
Email: ddwa@ddwa.org.au or Leticia.Grant@ddwa.org.au
Phone: (08) 9420 7203