Republican Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin announced Thursday she is forming a new task force to examine what she calls "indoctrination" in education. McGeachin says she wants to protect Idaho's young people from the "scourge of critical race theory, socialism, communism and marxism."
Speaking to Nate Shelman on KBOI's 'Capitol Clarity' radio show, the Lieutenant Governor said the move is a response to feedback from Idahoans.
"As I've been traveling around the state talking to people, people are asking me, they are really concerned about what is going on," said McGeachin on the show. "They ask me what Idaho is doing, what are we doing in Idaho to prevent this from being taught in our schools, this dangerous ideology."
A press release on the new task force promises more information in the coming weeks. Boise State University President Marlene Tromp has previously said the school is committed to equity and aims to teach students how to think, not what to think.
Conservative lawmakers and the state's largest university have frequently found themselves at odds over elements of the school's curriculum. On Wednesday, House Republicans overwhelmingly rejected the state's proposed higher education budget with just one Republican voting in favor. The proposal would have cut more than $400,000 dollars from Boise State's budget.
Senators said those cuts were intended to send a message, but some House lawmakers said steeper cuts are necessary. The budget now goes back to the Legislature's budget-setting committee, which must be passed before lawmakers can wrap the Legislative Session.
Lawmakers are already more than two weeks behind after a COVID-19 outbreak prompted an 18-day recess. Some legislative leaders have said they hope to finish the session next week.
