Has your teacher ever attempted to indoctrinate you with their political or controversial views? Most students would answer no, but on the off chance you said yes, Idaho’s House of Representatives has got your back. 

The House passed this bill on April 23rd. House Bill 377 bans progressive teachings like Critical Race Theory in the classroom. However it still allows for other controversial topics to be permitted in the classroom. 

Wendy Horman, a representative, gave a speech to the House on April 23rd in which she stated, “This bill does not prohibit teaching about white supremacy, sexism, racism, communism or any other ism. In fact, the good, the bad and the ugly are all on the table to be taught.”

Shannon Hall, a teacher at Lakeland High School, thinks that this decision should have been left to a different area of the government.

“I would have preferred directions come from the State Board of Education and not the legislative body. The board are knowledgeable experts in the area of education and the legislators simply are not,” Hall stated.

Regardless of whether or not teachers agree with the House of Representatives, they have to go along with it because they are state employees and it is a new law.

Hall also stated, “I hope that the next time a bill is proposed regarding education, that the Board of Education is included in the decision.”

Superintendent of the Lakeland School District, Dr. Becky Meyer thinks that the ban was unnecessary. 

Dr. Meyer stated, “I do not believe the House needed to pass this bill because what we teach in our schools is appropriate and follows the Idaho Content Standards.”

Hall shares a similar view. Hall stated, “I think that there are bigger issues in Idaho that need to be worked on and this isn’t one of them.”

Dr Meyer also stated, “I would encourage the students to continue to use their own critical thinking skills and investigative minds to explore topics which interest them in order to expand their knowledge and leave high school with a curiosity for always learning more.”