This Insight clears things up but we will have to agree to disagree. #teacher #parent #education

The bill doesn’t match the poster! This is district Admin overreacting and assuming the language in the bill matches a poster welcoming all kids. The district admin and principal made it political! I’m so over it. Been teaching 25 years and have seen so many changes over the years. Need to get back to teaching kids how to think instead of what to think! Same for colleges as they are sending us the new generation of teachers with the political “what to think” mindset. Some in turn bring their beliefs into the classrooms. I’m sad for our kids and families. 😢

The bill was passed after this happened. It’s not the reason. More lies

Completely agree with you! Thank you for your videos!

The sign is not political, it's moral. The administrators need to learn the difference.

I say what are they afraid of? If they want to arrest or fine the teacher I don’t think that’s good publicity for them. Fire the teacher? Withhold funding? Bring it! It’s disheartening how little courage most people have

Reiterating what a number of other folk have said about the link between the poster and the house bill. The issue of the poster occurred weeks ago, the house bill was only passed last week. There have been many other reasons stated by the district as to why they want the poster removed but not one of those reasons was in relation to the house bill.

Thank you for sharing your clear thoughts. The Idaho House Bill is eerily and sickeningly reminding me of laws and bills passed to enforce segregation. It’s terrifying to me.
Thank you for your strong stance!

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Does this mean I need to get rid of the "Welcome" mat by my front door?

100 percent agree with you. Why does everything have to be an issue.

Great response and I appreciate your showing them respect, appreciating their effort, and your call to be a change agent in matters like this. You are correct in saying that the administration could have chosen to interpret the poster as not being affected by HB 41. I think your take, that it shouldn't have been an in-classroom issue is still correct. And thank you again for advocating for students and teachers with passion, humor, and truth.

Yah! Some COMMON SENSE leadership (yet again) from you Gerry. Thank you!

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I could see if she put up a big Black Lives Matter poster, but come on… Those are kids hands! I doubt that that would apply in court.

I think most sane people would disagree with it.

Keep on keeping on, Gerry Brooks! I have so much respect for you!

Amen. Thank you

How things have changed since Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten ...

Agree in how you handled this. More info was obtained. You didn't name call or call anyone stupid. No cuss words. Basic human dignity in discussing this issue.

We support YOU, Gerry!

A lot of districts now want all teachers to have the exact same posters up in each class room. It is political. It is only the beginning to other more invasive posters.

They passed a bill like this in Utah also. It makes me so sad.

People at the admin building need to mind their own business! They have no idea what actually goes on in a school building with thousands of children in it. They are so far distanced from the real world! I spent 20 years working in public education and the BS they try to pull is crazy and they have and give NO reason why. They should all be removed! Thank you Gerry for doing these videos! I wish I worked for you before i retired from my district. Much respect to you and for you.

Amen! I absolutely AGREE wholeheartedly with you Sir!

With this logic…no posters with any human figures can be posted because, I assume, they will have to have some sort of skin color and will have a “race.”

And a gender for that matter…

Any they requested that poster be taken down before that bill was passed.

Truth! This poster is not related to that bill and should not be taken down. It does not support a particular race; it is stating all races belong.

America is such a racist country

My Dad always said "when someone starts telling you what a good Christian they are, hang on to your wallet." He taught us to show it by our actions. All these posters and programs alledgedly promoting equity (racial or gender) are just empty talk and actually just made things worse at the very welcoming and diverse school where I spent 19 years. Those that talked the most about DEI were usually the most intolerant and stereotyped others. It is sad that such a house bill is needed to ban a flag from elementary class that actually supported MAPs( sorry I can't be welcoming to those who prey on children . ) And it's sad that this simple everybody welcome sign gets swept into that catagory. In reality the poster does little to make kids feel included. It will be ignored just like the posted learning objective and the American flag if they don't see it in action. Quite frankly all this fuss is just politcally divisive.

Thanks to that administrator for being polite and respectful. It does not change the fact that they were wrong and you are right. Thanks Gerry!

Once again sir, you nailed it.

I would have taken the passive aggressive approach and cut it down the middle, just leaving “EVERYONE is welcome here.” The colors are bold enough that people would have gotten the message and the message remains clear. 😉

Thank you for the insight and the response. THIS is the way to handle issues and differences of opinion. A great example and role model of how to handle disagreements. And, there is nothing wrong with agreeing to disagree. This shows that you can understand other's viewpoint and respect one another without vitriol and hatred. It is not political to welcome everyone....

I agree

Bill created under a meek Congress under a racist President

Thank you for caring for your students and teachers the way you do ♥️

Excellent follow up. Thanks Gerry.

I stand by your video, and think that Bill is ridiculous. That Bill is a slippery slope towards what has happened in history.

The bill is un-American. Prnsibull Brooks is right

...except the teacher was asked in January to remove the poster(s) from her classroom, and the bill passed just last week (in March). You are right, HB 41 is not the reason. A change in White House administration is the real reason, but it won't ever be admitted. (Written as a former parent and employee of this district.)

I was a teacher in North Idaho in the 1980s when the Aryan Nations raised its ugly head. Are School fought back and are people fought back. And they were defeated but they also tried to kill my wife and we had to leave to survive. All change requires risk. School administrators choose to stand for what you enter that profession to do and care deeply for every single student.

It was passed.....last WEEK???? They just passed the rule?

Thanks for your update. I'm with you. They have nothing to do with each other.
Maybe thier Repesentatives need to realize that they messed up and this is what it caused.

I agree with you completely and I am happy that they were respectfully explaining the situation.

This poster is not political. I think anyone making it political does not even understand the statement on the poster. Rather than “political,” this poster is about education where everyone IS welcome.

The "Everyone is Welcone posters and banners are just like the welcome mats on front porches. Everyone should feel welcomed. I saw signs like this in a store and i know they have probably been there forever. The entire premise behind the bill or law is reprehensible, but beyond that schools are supposed to be one of America's greatest institutions. Why would we possibly not want to welcome children into classrooms? Children view us as their protectors. How sad.

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Doesn't the US flag represent a political ideology?

Retired teacher. The poster isn’t political it’s about human decency.

"You are welcome here" implies that there are places and groups where some are not welcome. That's a political ideology that one side weaponizes against another side. With our students' math and reading scores at an all-time low, we need our schools to focus on education, not being self-appointed change agents.