The Idaho Education Association today filed a request under Idaho’s Public Records Act to seek information on the “outsiders” whom Superintendent Tom Luna consulted as he created his so-called Students Come First plan late last year.
Luna told the Idaho Statesman that he consulted with “people that are leaders in education in Idaho that I trust, have confidence in and bounce a lot of ideas off of,” but he said he’d keep their names to himself.
“The third pillar of Mr. Luna’s plan is called ‘Transparent Accountability,’” said Sherri Wood, IEA President. “As a public official, he needs to come forward with the names of his advisors so Idahoans have a fuller understanding of who had input into this plan and who was left out.”
“From the beginning, the Luna plan’s fatal flaw has been the lack of involvement by people who would be asked to make it work in Idaho’s classrooms,” Wood added. “Idahoans know this, and they also know Mr. Luna didn’t say a word about this plan last fall. That’s why we’ve seen thousands of people rally and testify against the legislation, and why lawmakers report that their emails and calls are overwhelmingly against the bills.”
Read the Public Records Request letter.
