Idaho has passed a new bill that bars school teachers from displaying signs with messages like “Everyone is Welcome Here” in their classrooms.
Last week, H.B. 41, a bill which bans school employees from displaying flags or banners that reflect “opinions, emotions, beliefs or thoughts about politics, economics, society, faith or religion,” went into effect. The bill reflected a phenomenon happening in school districts throughout the state.
In March, various outlets reported on West Ada School District’s decision to ask teacher Sarah Inama to remove signs in her classroom that read “Everyone is Welcome Here,” and showed a drawing of people’s hands with varying skin tones.
Another sign in Inama’s room read “In this room everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, equal.” Inama was ordered by her school’s administration to take down the signs, as they were considered “personal opinion” in today’s political environment. Inama eventually went back to her classroom and put the signs back up telling local news station KTVB that the messaging was the “basis of public education.”
While Inama eventually resigned and the bill that officially recognizes this ban has gone into effect. In new guidance, Attorney General Raúl Labrador claimed the message was too Democratic for schools, making it “illegally partisan,” according to LGBTQ Nation.
“These signs are part of an ideological/social movement which started in Twin Cities, Minnesota, following the 2016 election,” said Labrador. “Since that time, the signs have been used by the Democratic party as a political statement.”
MSNBC reports that Labrador’s mention of Twin Cities refers to the spraying of racist graffiti on a Twin Cities high school following Trump’s 2016 election win. Local mothers in the district then made signs that read “Everyone is welcome here” to counter the racist display.
Republicans, however, want us all to know that not everyone is welcome in public schools.
