Every election is full of possibility, uncertainty, potential and peril. Tuesday’s vote was no different — no matter your perspective on the outcomes.
While this election’s full impact on Idaho education policy remains uncertain for now, one thing you can be certain about is that your union will always be here for you, just as it has for the past 133 years.
For decades and perhaps centuries to come, Idaho Education Association members will fight for a quality public education for every Idaho student and the means to provide that education. They will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their colleagues to advocate for better funding, smaller classroom sizes and better pay. They will make this stand because they know those policy choices will benefit their students and their fellow educators.
In this election, IEA members campaigned for the candidates and issues important for the future of public education in our state — and fared relatively well, despite an important loss in the defeat of Proposition 1, the open primaries ballot initiative.
Here’s what went right for Idaho public education on Nov. 5:
- No less than 22 of the 25 bond or levy measures introduced by school districts across the state were approved by local voters — a huge outcome for resource-starved public schools. These results show that Idahoans placed a high value on their local public schools, despite how the need for these bond and levy measures at all highlights Idaho’s chronic underfunding of public education.
- Twenty-eight legislative candidates endorsed by IEA members for their pro-public education policy perspectives won their races. As always, pro-public education policy stances — not political party affiliation — determine IEA members’ partners in policymaking. Each of these newly-elected lawmakers will now take their seat in the Idaho Legislature this January.
Yes, the defeat of Proposition 1 was deeply unfortunate. Its potential for shifting the dynamic of Idaho party politics away from the extreme was real, which is why the IEA Board of Directors endorsed its passage. Thank you to all of you who volunteered your time to knock on doors and work the phones, or otherwise contribute to the cause.
While this election is behind us, the work is not done. Preparation is underway for the coming legislative session and Lobby Day 2025. We hope you will consider contributing to IEA’s Political Action Committee for Education (better known as PACE) and join us at the Statehouse on Jan. 20 to help us tell lawmakers what you need to be a successful professional educator.
As they do every year, IEA members and their allies will stand tall on behalf of students, educators and public education at the Statehouse. And without a doubt, those who want to harm public education and this union will be back in full force this winter. Vouchers, libraries, school funding, guns on campus, union busting — these are just a few of the issues IEA’s lobby team is preparing for this session.
But together and in solidarity, this union’s ability to turn back the enemies of public education empty-handed is much, much stronger. Just as we have for generation after generation, IEA members will fight for their students, their colleagues and their public schools.
As always, thank you for everything you do.
Layne McInelly is president of the Idaho Education Association and a professional certified educator who taught in Idaho public schools for 12 years
