Not only does the government sometimes stick its nose into the classroom and try and inject things that are counterproductive to a child's education, like religion, for example, but sometimes they just flat out don't want to see people getting along, which is kind of strange, but in Idaho that seems to be the case, and my colleagues are here to take it away for us.
A wes say To school district teacher was asked to remove classroom science promoting exclusivity, igniting controversy over free expression and the role of personal values and education. The sign, which emphasized messages of acceptance and diversity, reportedly conflicted with district policies, prompting pushback from both community members and advocacy groups. Supporters argue that such messages foster a safe and welcome environment for students, our credits claim they could be seen
as political statements. The incidents fueled ongoing debates about teachers, right, school policies, and the boundaries of classroom expression. As sentience rise, the district faces increases scrutiny over how it bounces inclusivity maintaining a neutral educational space. And this story is brought to you by somebody that I don't remember, and I'm hoping AJ can help you with that.
Yeah.
Sure, it was the Idaho Education News by Idaho News on March thirteen, five.
Well, I'm sure even though it was by Idaho News, a person somewaey I wrote it. But I'll tell you this, I forgot who was introducing this, so I just said my colleagues are here to take it away. AJ. I wasn't sure which one of you was grabbing that, so thanks for coming in, but I will tell you this. Let's see, I have the article here and it looks like it was written by a Sarah in Inama. So there we have come full circle. We've all helped each
other and we've got the full story now. But yeah, you know there is a school.
Go ahead, quick correction. I think that is actually the name of the teacher, right, you're.
I think you're right. Oh you are right. Wow, we've got the teacher. We've got everything wrong tonight. Yeah, Carly Flandro Carly. You know, I'm gonna send Carly an email and be like, hey, I am so sorry that we butchered this article. But it was a great article and I hope you enjoy this. I hope you enjoy this show about it? Now? Can we move on?
Please?
Can we move on?
Thank you?
Look, this teacher is trying to create a positive environment. I think, you know, if we consider the article we talked about last night, right, that that had to do with children not receiving food, alluding to the idea that children actually learn better when they're more well fed, when they know where their next meal is coming from, where there's not food insecurity, where they're in an environment that
is reliable to them. Well, we see a teacher doing the same thing, but trying to promote inclusivity in the classroom, showing posters that says everyone's welcome here, showing signs of different colored hands, different sizes, all coming together, right, promoting unity in a classroom. I don't think that there is anything wrong with that. That certainly does it detract from the learning environment, as the policy of the school district would have you believe. So I'm confused as to what
the message is here. And aj I thought you might want to talk a little bit about the confusing messaging.
Yeah, I was confused too, you know, like who knew that a little piece of paper on the wall and the classrooms somewhere in IDAHOL could cost such as stir. It even got the attention of national news outlets. But
what I don't understand is the district's policy. It says that, you know, it encourages staff to display the American flag, banners, posters, signs, or photos, but they need to be quote content neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment, respect the dignity of others, acknowledged devices of others to express different opinions, and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction,
and freedom of speech and association. Now, the IDOHO Code also says that students should not be taught any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior, or that individuals should be treated adversely due to any of those qualities. But that part is what confuses me, because they are supposedly advocating for equality and inclusivity by saying that everyone should be treated equally, And isn't that exactly what the
sign is saying. Design is saying everyone is welcome, So what is the problem. It fits with what they want.
Yeah, there's certainly no race or creed or culture being promoted as being better than the other. Right, So I do think that that would be conducive to a positive learning environment where somebody might not feel othered. For example, in states like Oklahoma and Louisiana who have mandated the Ten Commandments or the reading of the Bible being in every classroom. Right, would a Hindu student feel accepted there?
Absolutely not? Would a Muslim? Would a Would a dark skinned person in this group of largely white students feel feel at home in an environment like this? I would say no. But over here in Idaho, we have a teacher, Sarah Inama, who makes it clear that everybody's welcome here, and I think that does create a conducive environment. But the school points to the guidelines, right, the rules, the
the the policy that is in black and white. But what is really important here is what Sarah Enama is being told behind the scenes, and that is, quote unquote, everyone is welcome here is not something that everybody actually believes, right. I mean, the school district didn't reference that thought process, did they? And so infidel I wanted to go there. What are you thoughts on that everyone is welcome here being something you know that's not acceptable?
Well, Jimmy, I I like both of you. I was a little puzzled on how everyone is welcome here as a controversial statements, and it did make me wonder if that is somehow an issue. Does that mean that they actually don't want everyone to feel well? And you know, taking those two polar opposites, you know, if they're both unacceptable, because I would surely hope that if it said everyone is not welcome here they object to that, because I
could see that being a problem. But that sounds like they're doing there are good side people on both sides. Argument to me, but these aren't comparable. You know, if one side wants to exclude people and the other side says, hey, we can all work together, I think it should be rather simple to understand that this isn't a matter of well, we're just going to kind of meet in the middle. No, because in a school our environments like this, one's right
and one's wrong. You know, someone reminds me of the question of what do you call nine people at a dinner party with a Nazi? You have a group of ten Nazis had a dinner party, And that's really what we're looking at here, because either you're saying the other side has a point, but no, excluding people. No, it's difficult or impossible for me to ever accept that the side that wants to exclude people has a point. And you know that's one of those hills I'm willing to die on. Absolutely.
And you know, I think that there is a racist wave in this country that's reemerging. It's encouraging racists at all levels to follow suit. The racists in the school district that have been quiet for so long and just
accepted that society is ready to move on. Well now they are, as we've heard so many times this past political season, saying the quiet parts out loud, and they're telling that to Sarah Nama, right, And they're saying it basically through their actions by taking down signs that promote the comfort and the overall health and well being of every student in the classroom. And I think that this
teacher should be applauded. You know, Aj, I know that you have some thoughts on the kind of support that the teacher deserves, and I thought you might want to expand on that.
Yeah, I want to mention quickly that in twenty twenty one, the state actually banned critical race theory in public schools classrooms. So yeah, they're definitely they have some racist undertones there. But yeah, this teacher completely deserves the attention that she's getting, but in a good way because she hasn't backed down from her belief. She didn't allow the district to push
her around. And the best part is that despite the district asking for design to be taken down, she has received a massive amount of support from you know, she's been getting emails with supported notes that local communities standing with her parents, are standing by her. Students at the Renaissance High School actually did a wldout protest in support of mister Cinema. They were holding signs with messages like loving is including equality is not political, And I think
this is exactly how change is effected. You speak up, get out there, you stand up, the walkout, whatever you need to do, raise awareness of the issue, and you find people who are willing to do those things with you in order to benefit that to get you know, with that effort.
Yeah, well, when you cannot rely on the court or just sound law and order, you have to rely on the court of public opinion. And that again is being exemplified by all the support over seventy organizations have voiced their support, have shown the signs that the teacher is being asked to take down on their own media outlets, one being the Wasmuth Center for Human Rights. And you know, there's there's a whole lot of other organizations in there.
Boise with Kids, full Swing, Boise, Guru, Babe Vote, not really sure who they are, Habitat for Humanity is supporting this teacher. So you know, I think she's doing good work. You have to you have to speak up, you know, especially when the quiet parts are being said out loud,
you have to say the loud part louder, right. I mean, I don't know if that's a really good analogy, but I mean I think for me, the loud part is the obvious unity, the inclusivity, the healthy learning environment for the next generation of people who are going to take care of our species. And so you know, on that note, I think that you know, this is a really good, well written article there are.
Ye So no, I was gonna say, I noticed the other sign that she had. I think that the reason they probably targeted that sign was because it was colored in rainbow colors, because the messaging was a something completely neutral. And I said in this room. Everyone is welcome, everyone's important, everyone's accepted, respected, encourage, valued.
And equal.
Like, how can anyone see that as a negative thing? I'm thinking that they just sound the rainbow and they're are like, oh, jermy qbobo.
Yeah. Yeah, Well you can interpret anything for it to mean what you want. I mean, unfortunately, and this hurts, but the American flag is kind of seen as like a racist symbol for a lot of people, you know, but that is flown in this classroom, and I don't agree with that. But there are elements of racism in America, I mean, and some people look at the American flag and that's all they see. You know. There are many
people that don't interpret the American flag that way. And so I think it just goes to show you that this blanket term content neutral, he doesn't really mean anything. I mean, infidel, What does content neutral mean?
Well, you know, as far as what content neutral means in this context, sounds like it means let's enable the worst people in our society at the benefit at the cost of being inclusive, you know I and you know this is something I'm not proud of. But in my early twenties, you know, I was a delegate to two state conventions for a former clansman who was running for state office. I was involved in three of three campaigns,
two very actively. So coming from that background and looking at what people get away with now, we would never have said many of these things then, and to think that now we've shifted so far, and I think part of this is simply through silence, and which is I think a very good point to your We need to push back and say it louder because because of our discomfort in addressing these things, we've allowed this problem to fester and grow to the point where just saying hey,
it's cool, everyone's welcome here is problematic. And that is beyond problematic because that's how we get to the problems where the othering of people just continues to build and grow and become worse and worse. So as far as this current situation here, I think that all three of us have touched on the only solution that I know of. Don't give an inch, haul it out and push back.
Yeah, And I think to AJ's point, you know where I was going is you look at different colors and you see a rainbow, and you automatically think something. But really, all that's saying is everybody's different, right, Those colors represent different things. We've been so programmed to think that a rainbow can only mean gay stuff, trance stuff, LGBTQ, which is fine. I mean I would have if I were a teacher, I'd have no problem with that in my classroom.
But I'd also have no problem with just a rainbow, you know. And it looks like this content neutral term is just vague enough that people could just take it and use it as a weapon whenever they want to, when in reality, all we're trying to do is just get through our day with a little bit of happiness.
Right now, maybe if they had a birthname black and white sign from the nineteen fifties, nobody want to complain.
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. Only let white kids and black kids use different water fountains. You know, that's neutral. We're neutral on water fountains, right. It's really sad. And you know, they say the pendulum swings back and forth, and I hope the pendulum swings in the other direction sooner than later. So that's going to do it for us this week, folks, Thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you to Infidel and aj for having a great week and four
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