About 50 students from Renaissance High School organized a walk out Thursday to protest the West Ada District’s policy on classroom messaging after it asked a middle school teacher to remove two posters from her classroom.
One poster, displayed in a Meridian Middle school, shows hands of different skin-colors with the message “everyone is welcome here” written above it. The other also says everyone is “important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued and equal.”
Speaking before the protest, Finn, a 17 year old senior at Renaissance, located next to the District Building, said empathy and kindness are not political statements.
“We've had desegregated schools for a really long time at this point, so I don't think it's a groundbreaking or political message to say that students of all races and ethnicities should be welcomed and treated kindly at school,” she said. “As Americans, we should be supporting people of all genders, races and identities and creeds.”
She said by ordering the removal of this message administrators are censoring teachers.
“They're just over-policing our teachers who are already overworked and have a really high burnout rate when our teachers are just trying to do what's best for their students and make sure that they go to school in a safe and happy learning environment,” Finn added.
On Wednesday, the district issued a statement to staff explaining its position, and likening West Ada to a well coached team in need of a game plan. In a two-page letter shared by KTVB, it wrote that a truly welcoming classroom was not defined by a sign on the wall but “through strong relationships where teachers uplift and encourage students.”
“If one player decided to wear a different uniform, use a different-sized ball, or ignore the rules, the game would lose its structure, creating confusion and imbalance.” Citing district policy, the statement explains only certain types of visual aids can be displayed in the classroom, “ensuring that district-owned physical property remains content-neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment.”
The West Ada School District did not answer requests for comment.
KTVB first reported the story on Tuesday.
The Idaho Statesman reports the teacher was told she had until the end of the school year to remove the posters. Sarah Inama, from Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian said she initially took the posters down after being contacted by administrators, but upon reflection, came back over the weekend to put them back up.
