The House Education Committee on Thursday endorsed legislation that would make it illegal to display any flags or banners related to political parties, race, sexual orientation, gender or political ideology.
However, the committee debate around House Bill 10, introduced by Rep. Ted Hill (R-Eagle), made it clear that even some of the legislation’s supporters are unclear about where the line between allowed and prohibited flags would be drawn. Additionally, Hill made it clear to the committee that his impetus for drafting the bill was seeing an educator teaching an online class with the LGBTQ+ “Rainbow” flag in their background.
“This is what kind of got me excited about this,” Hill said. “There’s the pride flag in the background, not the American flag. With the pride flag, she’s doing a zoom call. That is not okay.”
After a 90 minute discussion, the committee voted 12-2 to send the bill to the full House of Representatives with a “do pass” recommendation. Reps. Monica Church (D-Boise) and Jeff Carlson (D-Boise; standing in for Rep. Chris Mathias), voted against the legislation.
The bill specifically spells out what flags are allowed to be displayed in the classroom: the U.S. flag, state and local government flags, official school and military flags, recognized foreign nation flags, tribal flags and achievement-related banners approved by the Idaho Department of Education.
Rather than stifling free expression, we should be creating environments where all students feel seen, heard, and respected, and where they can engage with the full range of ideas that shape our society.
IEA’s Cassie Horner testified agains House Bill 10
However, much of the committee’s questions of the bill sponsor centered around confusion about what would be allowed and what would not. Lapel pins, for example, would not fall under the bill’s purview, according to Hill. Some members were concerned that the legislation would preclude the POW-MIA flag from being displayed.
At one point, a motion to clarify these and other concerns by amendment failed on a 9-5 vote.
Cassie Horner, a Boise Education Association member and part of IEA’s LBGTQ caucus, testified against the bill.
“I firmly believe that public schools should be places where diversity of thought, culture, and identity is celebrated and protected,” Horner told the committee. “Limiting the display of flags to only a select few undermines this principle and sends the wrong message to students. Rather than stifling free expression, we should be creating environments where all students feel seen, heard, and respected, and where they can engage with the full range of ideas that shape our society.”
Hill, the bill’s sponsor, earned the dubious distinction of having his IEA endorsement revoked during the 2024 legislative session over his sponsorship of legislation that would allow virtually anyone to carry firearms on school campuses.
The full House is expected to deliberate on House Bill 10 in the coming days.
