Education
Dark money interests target Idaho’s treasury with “school choice” scheme
Two interest groups that have drawn support from out-of-state dark-money interests are once again supporting a scheme to raid Idaho taxpayer funds to finance private, religious and home schooling. This time the drain of public money comes in the guise of a tax credit which would deplete public money that should go to shoring up…
Read MoreIdaho’s schools are not failing – let’s recognize their success
By Don Coberly, Geoffrey Thomas, Wil Overgaard At a recent House Education Committee hearing on HB627 (now revised as HB 723), a bill to move state funding for schools from average daily attendance (ADA) to enrollment, committee member Representative Judy Boyle said that she could not support continuing to pay for “failing schools.” She repeated the statement again…
Read MoreWhat the education freedom pledge really means
There is a pledge being circulated throughout the United States whereby state legislators and governors can make a vow to privatize public education and “to take their children’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the education providers of their choosing – whether it be public, private, charter, or homeschool” Idahoans can already choose to enroll their student(s)…
Read MoreThe Idaho Freedom Foundation demonstrates its higher education model
When Idaho Freedom Foundation President Wayne Hoffman indicated that IFF wanted to dismantle Idaho’s public education system, many wondered what, if anything, the group had in mind to replace it. In a February 2019 opinion piece, Hoffman spelled out the group’s antipathy to public education: “I don’t think government should be in the education business. It is…
Read MoreReturn Local Control To Our Communities
2020-21 was a long year for Idaho school districts. The pandemic wrought havoc on everyone, including students, parents, teachers, administrators, and school boards. Masks and school closures sparked controversy among those in favor and those against, and educators felt the brunt of “never making the right decision”. But they persevered, and the last few months…
Read MoreThe College Wreckers
So a group of extremists got themselves elected to a local governing board. Is it really a big deal? What’s the worst that could happen? Welcome to North Idaho College, where since its founding in 1933 many thousands have gotten a useful education. Here, three culture war zealots have become the majority on the elected…
Read MoreWhat’s worse than ‘hell to pay?’ — Idaho being ruled by the IFF
Wayne Hoffman, the chief bottle washer of the so-called Idaho Freedom Foundation, announced on December 3 that he was contemplating the horrible fate that would befall Idaho’s colleges and universities for an alleged failure to follow IFF’s curriculum instructions. On December 7 (the Day of Infamy) last year, Hoffman decreed there would be “hell to pay” if…
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