CALDWELL, Idaho — The Caldwell School District board meeting Monday night was abruptly ended after protestors failed to abide by the board members' warnings about their conduct.
Most of the demonstrators were there to oppose proposal 3281, which addresses gender identity and sexual orientation in schools and school-related functions. The proposal is intended to foster a safe and non-discriminatory learning environment for all students.
The proposal was only an information item at the meeting, meaning it was not going to be up for a vote.
Although there were many protestors against the proposed policy, there was a fair share of people in attendance who supported the measure.
“It is always okay to have concerns, especially when regarding the safety of your child," said one Caldwell student. "But, it is also unfair to ignore the concerns of others, including the children that policy that 3281 was written for.”
The meeting heated up during public testimony when first-term state Senator Chris Trakel threatened the possibility of legal action against the board if the proposal was considered further.
“And like I told you before, you will face litigation," Trakel said. "You called that a threat, I’m telling you that is what will happen. It’s already happened in several states and there have already been rulings on it.”
After that and some other comments, the board moved to end the meeting. The school district said the meeting had to be adjourned because of the continuous outbursts from those in attendance.
"It was disappointing that some attending refused to follow the rules," The school district said in a statement. "Which prevented others from sharing their thoughts with the board.”
The school district told Idaho News 6 in an email that the Board of Trustees is working to identify the next steps in gathering community feedback after the abrupt ending to the meeting.
