BOISE, Idaho — “Everyone is welcome here,” chants came from the crowd Sunday afternoon, as hundreds of local educators, parents, and students rallied at the Idaho Capitol Building steps.
They held posters and shared personal stories with attendees to spread the message that “Everyone is Welcome Here.”
“It’s 100% for [the] students. None of us would be here if we weren’t in a position where we see how much our students are struggling,” said Lara Luthy, an educator and president of Boise's Education Association.
“If West Ada School District had an ounce of decency, they would never ask these types of values [to] be silenced,” said Caleigh, a concerned parent from Nampa.
As Idaho News 6 reported last month, the West Ada School District asked a 6th grade middle school teacher to remove these signs from her classroom, stating they violated policy because political opinions don’t comply with pre-existing poster guidelines.
The teacher, Sarah Inama, ultimately put the signs back up, saying the inclusive phrase isn’t political.
Other educators agree that teachers play a large role in making a student feel safe enough in a classroom in order to learn.
“It's our job to help them through that, and we need to be given the latitude to do that,” said Luthy.
In a locally produced podcast, the district’s Chief Academic Officer, Marcus Meyers, explains why the imagery doesn’t comply with policy.
PREVIOUS REPORT | West Ada School official defends district's stance on "Everyone is Welcome" poster
“The interpretation of the visual images, that’s the issue that exists here,” said Meyers.
Many across the state, country, and even internationally disagree, “I think that’s a really cowardly thing to do, to ask her to change out the poster by the end of the year. Not only is the poster not wrong, it’s correct. It’s the correct and decent thing to believe that everyone is welcome,” said Caleigh.
The Boise Education Association says they’ll continue to rally support for pro-public education candidates for future elections, “To make sure that we have legislators in office who are going to support policies that will include all children,” said Luthy.
