‘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.''
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