Latest news with #Inama
New York Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Idaho AG bans ‘Everyone is Welcome Here' signs at public schools, says the ‘political statement' violates state law
Idaho's attorney general has ruled that the 'Everyone is Welcome Here' signs that stirred up controversy for 'inadvertently' sparking division must be removed from every public school in the state. A legal opinion was released on Friday by Attorney General Raúl Labrador's office that officially banned signs like the one Lewis and Clark Middle School teacher Sarah Inama displayed in her classroom in February. The AG's office found that banners like Inama's, which read 'Everyone is Welcome Here,' violates the state's vague House Bill 41 prohibiting flags or banners alluding to or depicting any political viewpoint in public schools. Advertisement 'These signs are part of an ideological/social movement which started in Twin Cities, Minnesota following the 2016 election of Donald Trump. Since that time, the signs have been used by the Democratic party as a political statement. The Idaho Democratic Party even sells these signs as part of its fundraising efforts,' the office's statement said. 3 A legal opinion released by the Idaho Attorney General's Office determined that the 'Everyone is Welcome Here' banner can't be hung in public schools. KTVB-TV Inama made headlines last winter when the West Ada School District ordered her to remove her 'Everyone is Welcome Here' sign featuring cartoon hands in various skin tones. Advertisement Inama originally took the poster down, but had a change of heart and put it back up over the weekend. The district administration asserted that Inama needed to take it down because the message 'is not something that everybody believes,' she told KTVB. According to emails from the district obtained by the Idaho Statesman, the district took issue with the different skin-toned hands, which apparently violated the state's requirement that all displayed content be 'neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment.' 3 The opinion asserted that the banner was 'part of an ideological/social movement.' Advertisement The Idaho Democratic Party started to sell the merchandise inspired by the posters on March 25 'after hearing from Idahoans who wanted a way to show support for Ms. Inama,' the party's communications director Avery Roberts wrote in an email to The Post. 'Across the state, parents and teachers, regardless of their political affiliations, want children to have a fair shot. They're working hard to build strong public schools where every student feels welcome and has the support they need to succeed,' Roberts wrote. 3 The teacher at the center of the poster controversy has hung up the poster annually since 2017. Lewis and Clark Middle School 'We're not doing this to make money. The signs and stickers barely cover costs. What matters is the message. Taking a stand against discrimination shouldn't be a partisan issue, and we hope leaders in every party see it that way.' Advertisement The office's opinion goes on to note that Inama began displaying the signs in her classroom shortly after Trump's first term in 2017 and accused her of hanging it to 'share her personal, ideological beliefs.' Per the office's opinion, certain types of student artwork could also be prohibited from being hung in schools.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
REAL ID requirement date approaching. How many Pa. residents have them?
Starting on May 7, a REAL ID or other acceptable identification is required for anyone over the age of 18 who wishes to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal government facilities. On the weekend before the deadline, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation saw an influx of Pennsylvania residents complete the process and receive a REAL ID-enhanced driver's license. Normally closed on Mondays, the PennDOT Driver License Center in Erie at the Summit Township Plaza at 7200 Peach St. was opened an extra day May 5 for the purpose of REAL ID's only. Less than 1 in 3 PA residents have a REAL ID PennDOT Press Officer Aimee Inama said over the weekend of May 2, driver license centers in the state of Pennsylvania issued more than 9,000 REAL IDs, and 28.2% of Pennsylvania residents now have a REAL ID. A woman enters the PennDOT Driver License Center in Summit Township on May 5, 2025. Normally closed on Mondays, the license center was open only for REAL ID transactions, with new federal regulations going into effect. Inama said she still expects an influx of Pennsylvania residents going to their local driver license center to receive a REAL ID as the deadline approaches. "We've seen an increase in the number of people, but that was to be expected," Inama said. "We are ready and willing to help anyone who comes in with the proper documentation looking for a REAL ID." REAL ID application process fairly smooth Allison Horn, 34, was able to obtain her Real ID at the PennDOT Driver License Center in Summit Township on May 5, 2025. Normally closed on Mondays, the license center was open only for REAL ID transactions, with new federal regulations going into effect. PennDOT officials have noted that the process has been fairly smooth with some setbacks. In Erie, some residents left the driver license center upset or frustrated because an issue could not get them a REAL ID. Those issues included an error with their Social Security number or having to provide proper documentation for a change in their last name. Depending on when residents went to the driver license center, the process was either fairly smooth or involved a wait. "It took us about 15 minutes," Allison Horn, a Cambridge Springs resident, said on May 5. "It was really quick. It was so much better. We were really worried when we got here and then we got here and were like, 'Oh, we're done already, that was quick.' I feel relieved." On the morning of May 3 around 8 a.m., the line to get into the Driver License Center spanned all the way down the Summit Township Plaza toward Goodwill. What is a REAL ID? A REAL ID is a security enhanced driver's license or state issued photo ID meeting the minimum security standards set by the REAL ID Act of 2005. A REAL ID will include a star, a flag or will say "enhanced" on the card. What happens if you don't have a REAL ID by May 7? A woman enters the PennDOT Driver License Center in Summit Township on May 5, 2025. Normally closed on Mondays, the license center was open only for REAL ID transactions, with new federal regulations going into effect. Inama says that getting a REAL ID is optional, however, if you are looking to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal government facilities after May 6, you will need a REAL ID or an alternative form of identification. The alternative forms of identification include a U.S. passport (with state-issued ID), U.S. passport card, DHS Trusted Traveler card or military ID. Learn more about REAL ID's and the process by visiting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's website. Contact Nicholas Sorensen at Nsorensen@ This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: REAL ID requirement date approaches. What PennDOT expects to come
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Not a political statement': West Ada controversy spurs ‘positivity' in Boise schools
A sign that reads 'Everyone is welcome here' might be considered political and controversial in the West Ada School District, but in Boise, administrators and teachers beg to differ. Boise educators — along with other participating community members — took to social media on Monday to post photos of themselves wearing shirts depicting the message and image from a sign that West Ada leaders said broke school policy because it wasn't 'content neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment.' West Ada has faced backlash since it became public that the district told Sarah Inama, a 35-year-old world civilization teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, to remove two signs from her classroom in February. One sign read, 'Everyone is welcome here,' above hands of different skin tones. Another read, 'In this room, everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued,' with each word highlighted in a different color. Inama briefly took them down, before returning them to their previous places. 'There's nothing wrong with (the messages),' Inama told the Idaho Statesman. 'It's not a personal opinion. It's not a political opinion. I am really skeptical of what type of differing view is trying to be protected here.' Community members responded by creating T-shirts out of the sign's image, and thousands were purchased. Boise resident Angela Voll created a Facebook event asking everyone to wear the shirt Monday and share a photo. 'If you've purchased an 'Everyone Is Welcome Here' shirt, we encourage you and your children to wear it proudly on this day,' Voll's event page read. 'Let's fill our schools, workplaces, and communities with a visible reminder that inclusion matters.' Boise School District spokesperson Dan Hollar told the Statesman that its staff participated as a 'visible reminder to our community of our commitment to welcoming and serving all students, regardless of their background, identity, or beliefs.' 'This message is not a political statement — it's a reflection of our core values. We are here to teach and support every student who walks through our doors. We strive to provide a safe, secure and supportive learning environment where each and every student can learn, grow and thrive. 'We felt it was important to publicly reaffirm these values, especially in light of the conversations currently happening in our state and across our nation. Our intention was not to criticize another district, but to remind our own community that we are committed to creating schools where every student feels like they belong and are supported in their learning.' Teachers from schools across Boise posted photos of themselves donning the shirts or hanging similar signs on Monday, including staff at Trail Wind Elementary, Riverglen Junior High, Koelsch Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Centennial High, Boise High, North Junior, Adams Elementary, Liberty Elementary and Rolling Hills Public Charter School. Borah High School's staff also participated, even posting a video of its staff posing in various ways while wearing their shirts. Chris Stewart, the man who led the creation of the shirts, now wants to make a standing event in which people wear the shirts on the first Monday of every month. 'It's a simple way to keep the message going and growing,' Stewart posted on social media. 'Keep posting your photos and using the hashtags — this movement has already sparked so much positivity, and this will help it grow even more organically. Let's officially make the first Monday of every month 'Everyone Is Welcome Day.''
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘One sign goes down, thousands go up:' Community rallies around West Ada welcome message
The West Ada School District made national headlines recently when administrators ordered a school teacher to remove signs containing welcoming messages from her classroom. Community members quickly responded, ensuring the sign's messages would be seen far beyond a single classroom. On Sunday afternoon, West Ada parents staged a Chalk the Walk event, painting the sidewalks outside several West Ada schools with welcoming words. Hundreds of people gathered outside the West Ada School District's administrative offices in Meridian to send a message to school leaders through chalk. Others went to schools across the district to chalk outside their doors. 'One sign goes down, thousands go up in its place,' West Ada parent Chris Stewart told the Idaho Statesman at the event. 'That's kind of resonated as the rallying cry.' Administrators have faced outcry since it became public that they told Sarah Inama, a 35-year-old world civilization teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, to remove two signs from her classroom in February. People wrote the words from Inama's signs, as well as additional welcoming messages and statements of rebuke against the district's actions. One of them reads, 'Everyone is welcome here,' above hands of different skin tones. The other says, 'In this room, everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued,' with each word highlighted in a different color. District officials took issue with the signs for being 'too political' and because they 'don't allow people to express differing opinions,' Inama said. Inama initially removed the signs before having a change of heart, returning to her classroom over the weekend to put them back up. The district now says Inama has until the end of the school year to remove the decorations. District spokesperson Niki Scheppers told the Statesman that disciplinary measures would be handled internally at that time if she did not comply. Parents within the district have been vocal about their disagreement with the district's decision. 'I understand there are policies in place, and those can be complicated,' Conor Hiney, a parent of two district students, said. 'I know they're doing work to try to make those the best they can. But I think their initial reaction, and then really their reaction after this hit the news, has just been disappointing. I was expecting slightly better leadership.' Parents at one chalk event told the Statesman they didn't understand why administrators would describe these messages as political. 'I know the temperature right now is really hot out there in our country, but everything's not political,' Quinnten Anderson, another West Ada parent, said. 'It's really just a message that unites people together.' In emails shared by the district with the Statesman, Marcus Myers, the district's chief academic officer, told Inama to remove the signs because they violated Idaho's Dignity and Nondiscrimination in Public Education Act, as well as school policy, which requires signs to be 'content neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment.' The district also told the Statesman it was concerned it would violate House Bill 41. Signed by Gov. Brad Little on Thursday, the new law bans 'flags or banners that present political, religious, or ideological views, including but not limited to political parties, race, gender, sexual orientation, or political ideologies' in schools. Inama, who attended the Lewis and Clark Middle School chalk event, said she has been 'blown away' by the community's response. 'There's not been an inkling of hesitation,' Inama said. 'People have just been like, 'Of course, everyone is welcome here, no matter what.' And that's the way it should be. It's not about politics. It's not about personal opinions.' Many attendees at the event wore shirts bearing Inama's 'everyone is welcome here' sign. Stewart started selling T-shirts with the graphic at cost as another way to spread the message. He estimates he has sold more than 20,000. People have ordered them from as far away as New Zealand. Even members of the TV show General Hospital and Grammy-winning hip-hop group Arrested Development have contacted Steward to buy shirts. Stewart hopes the words on the sidewalks and shirts will change kids' perceptions of their hometown. 'I am so tired of seeing Boise on the news about these weird stories,' Stewart said. 'I don't see that in Boise. I see what we see in front of us right here. I see Boise is a welcoming, accepting place. I've had opportunities of a lifetime here, and I'm raising my son here, who looks like me, and I want him to know that he's in a loving, supportive, welcoming place.'
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
An Idaho Teacher Refused To Remove An "Everyone Is Welcome Here" Sign From Their Classroom Despite Pressure From Their School District, And It's Sparking A Ton Of Debate
Following President Trump's anti-DEI lead, many school districts in red states have changed their policies about what messages are no longer allowed in the classroom, and it's become a slippery slope. Well, an Idaho teacher has recently gone viral for defying her school district by refusing to remove two signs from her classroom walls. One sign says, "Everyone Is Welcome Here," and includes multi-colored hands holding hearts. And another sign says: "In this room, everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, and equal." Sarah Inama, a sixth-grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, Idaho, has taught World Civilization for years and recently told KTVB News that she'd never received any criticism for her classroom signs — until last month. "My building administration came to me during my lunch period and told me that they needed to be taken down by the end of the day," Inama said. "They told me that they were in violation of district policy because, in today's political environment, they're considered a 'personal opinion.'" "Because I was told to take it down by the end of the day, I did so," Inama continued. "And the following few days, I was was just so unsettled by it. And so I went back into my classroom and put it back up. And I emailed my principal and said I just, 'I don't agree. I don't agree that this is a personal opinion. I think this is the basis of public education.'" Inama said school officials followed up with her again. "They came to talk to me, and again, asked me to take it down, and I said, 'I'm not interested in taking it down.'" Inama was then apparently sent an email by the Chief academic officer highlighting district policy that she was violating: "School property shall not be used by personnel for the advancement of individual beliefs. It is the desire of the District that the physical environment of District facilities be content-neutral, conducive to a positive learning environment and not a distraction to the education environment." "While we respect individuals' rights to express their perspectives, it is important to reaffirm that this situation is not about limiting speech or expression but about ensuring consistency in our classrooms and maintaining a learning environment free from distraction," a statement sent to Today from Chief of Staff of Communications at West Ada School District said. "'Everyone is welcome here,' especially since the poster emphasizes in regards to skin color, with the image of the hands, that is considered something that people have differing views on," Inama said, explaining her understanding of what the district communicated to her. "I just feel like, as a teacher, and probably a lot of teachers share this sentiment, I would do anything to protect my students. I love all of them unconditionally. We protect them from danger. Quite literally would take a bullet for these students. And this is the one small thing I feel like I can do to speak out against this and stand up for them to protect them from being affected by racist sentiments affecting their classroom." "I find it hard to grapple with the fact that the reason why this poster needs to come down is because there are people outside of our school that disagree with it." In response to this news, students from Renaissance High School, located in the same town, protested the Idaho School District's decision in support of Inama, shouting, "Do your job!" to district officials. According to Today, Inama has been notified that the signs must be removed by the end of the school year, or further action may be taken. An official statement about the decision from the Chief of Staff from Communications at West Ada School District can be read in full here. Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul, who is from Idaho, weighed in on Instagram, calling the decision "insane," and telling Idaho to "do better." "They are trying to force this teacher to take down an 'Everyone is Welcome Here.' How sick is our country that this is a remotely controversial statement for a teacher to make to her students?" one person wrote. "They should post a poster with the slogan 'Only some people are welcome' and see what the response is. Possibly, a poster that says, 'It is not the official policy of our school that all children are welcome,'" one person recommended. "When the district starts trying to appease the racists, you know we're going down a very grim path," one person wrote in the r/Teachers subreddit. Of course, not everyone is in support of the teacher's decision to keep the signs up. "Public schools are not a place for propaganda," one person wrote. Still, Inama has refused to take the signs down despite possible repercussions. "There's no way I would be able to allow myself to just take it down and roll over to what I feel like they're asking me to do," she told Today. You can watch Inama's full interview with KTVB News here. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.
