John Parker, 65, of High Ridge, recently announced he will run for the Jefferson County Council District 1 seat in the Aug. 4 primary election.
Parker, who will run as a Republican, is a special-education teacher at Rockwood South Middle School.
The District 1 seat is currently held by Brian Haskins, who announced earlier this year that he will not seek reelection.
District 1 covers the northwestern portion of the county, including High Ridge and Byrnes Mill, along with the Jefferson County portions of Fenton and Eureka.
Parker said he is running his campaign on integrity, accountability and experience.
“I’m running not because I have an ax to grind, not because there’s a giant issue where I think things are failing,” Parker said. “I want to serve. I spent 21 years in the Air Force; spent 10 years as an alderman in the city of Des Peres; I’ve spent the last 11 years as a special ed teacher. Mine has been a life of service.”
Parker said he intends to go door to door in his district during the campaign, asking people what they’d like to see and what actions need to be taken. When making decisions, Parker said he often thinks about what would best serve his students. He said he’ll be taking that same mindset if elected to the District 1 seat.
“I believe the government should remove obstacles, not create barriers,” he said. “A rising tide lifts all boats. You can’t gain power by beating up on the little guy. You’ve got to be helpful for everybody.”
According to a written release, some of Parker’s campaign platforms include fiscal responsibility and tax fairness; smart infrastructure and road growth; opportunities in education and workforce; treatment, recovery and prevention of opioid abuse; respecting constitutional rights and individual liberties; and ensuring lawful immigration.
Parker said his parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s, but would have immigrated sooner if not for a quota system in place at the time.
“My father was in a concentration camp,” he said. “My mother and father escaped, (and) they met in China. The Germans could have come in (to the U.S. under the quota system), which my mom was, but my dad was Austrian, and that quota was filled. Immigration is a legal process, so they had to legally wait for it to be able to happen.”
Parker said he served 21 years in the Air Force, retiring from the Air Force National Guard. “Many years ago, when I was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, there was a general who gave us a speech, and he mentioned his priorities: God, country and family. I’ve tried to live that way ever since then,” Parker said. “I’m a huge believer in the Constitution. As a military officer, I’ve sworn to defend and uphold the Constitution, and it’s not something I take lightly.”
Parker has a bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Louis University, a master’s degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in teaching from Missouri Baptist University.
Parker and his wife, Dotty, have 10 children, with the youngest being 22 and the oldest 39. Dotty manages a department at Dierbergs, he said.
In his campaign announcement on social media, Parker said, as a councilman, he would guard against wasteful spending, support responsible growth, insist on transparent government and bring experience to county government.