Gov. Little claims the mantle of a public education supporter, but he just signed a bill that could cement his legacy as anything but. In the eyes of public education's most ardent and dedicated advocates for students and public schools — IEA's members — he has certainly forfeited that claim. The governor had every reason to veto House Bill 516, including that it would simply be the right thing to do for Idaho’s students and educators. The governor even detailed how the new law could lead to discrimination against union members in the letter justifying his action. Unfortunately, he ignored his better angels, signed this terrible bill into law, and waited to reveal that until Friday at 5 p.m. — a time designed to avoid the spotlight. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe his actions nor the entire process by which this attack on educators came to be. Idaho’s students and the dedicated professionals who teach them will be worse off because of his choice. They deserve better.
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