logo
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

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

Yahoo22-03-2025

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.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Acclaimed Hip-Hop Star Makes Bold Political Statement at Awards Show
Acclaimed Hip-Hop Star Makes Bold Political Statement at Awards Show

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Acclaimed Hip-Hop Star Makes Bold Political Statement at Awards Show

Acclaimed Hip-Hop Star Makes Bold Political Statement at Awards Show originally appeared on Parade. was named best female hip-hop artist on Monday, June 9, at the BET Awards at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Yet instead of giving the traditional thank-you-laden speech, she focused on what was happening outside of the theater. 'I do wanna address what's happening right now outside of the building,' she said, referencing the protests against ICE raids that are occurring around L.A. 'There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order. [President Donald] Trump is using military force to stop a protest. And I want y'all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?' 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Doechii wasn't done. She explained that she felt it was her duty to use her platform to speak out against injustice. 'People are being swept up and torn from their families, and I feel it's my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people,' she added as the crowd applauded, per Billboard. 'For Black people, for Latino people, for trans people, for the people in Gaza, we all deserve to live in hope and not in fear and I hope we stand together, my brothers and my sisters, against hate and we protest against it.' Several other artists, including Green Day's and of Rage Against the Machine, have also spoken out against the ICE immigration raids in Los Angeles and President Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard to the city against the wishes of Los Angeles Mayor and California Governor .Acclaimed Hip-Hop Star Makes Bold Political Statement at Awards Show first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Rapper Doechii condemns Trump's immigration raids, protest crackdown at BET Awards
Rapper Doechii condemns Trump's immigration raids, protest crackdown at BET Awards

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Rapper Doechii condemns Trump's immigration raids, protest crackdown at BET Awards

The Brief Doechii used her BET Awards speech to condemn Trump's immigration crackdown and protest response. She questioned the use of military force against demonstrators exercising their rights. The speech comes as protests continue just blocks from the ceremony venue in Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES - Grammy-winning rapper Doechii used her first BET Awards win Sunday night to deliver a pointed message about the protests and immigration raids unfolding just outside the venue doors. After accepting the award for best female hip-hop artist at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, Doechii shifted from thanking fellow nominees to directly criticizing the Trump administration's use of federal troops and immigration enforcement. "There are ruthless attacks that are creating fear and chaos in our communities in the name of law and order," she said. "Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. I want you all to consider what kind of government it appears to be when every time we exercise our democratic right to protest, the military is deployed against us. What type of government is that?" Doechii's words received loud applause and a standing ovation from the audience. The backstory The protests in Los Angeles began after large-scale ICE raids and arrests targeting undocumented immigrants across the region. President Donald Trump responded by ordering the deployment of more than 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines to assist with immigration enforcement and protect federal property. California officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, have condemned the move as unconstitutional and filed lawsuits arguing that the deployment was made without state approval. Some have accused the Trump administration of using military force to provoke chaos and intimidate protestors. "People are being swept up and torn from their families," Doechii continued. "I feel like it's my responsibility as an artist to use this moment to speak up for all oppressed people. … We all deserve to live in hope and not fear. I hope we stand together." What they're saying Doechii's remarks quickly drew praise on social media and among attendees. While other artists have not yet spoken out during the ceremony, her speech set a sharply political tone amid what had otherwise been a celebratory night honoring the 25th anniversary of the BET Awards. Why you should care The BET Awards took place just blocks from where National Guard troops are now stationed in response to protests. As immigration enforcement actions continue, and as artists like Doechii use their platforms to amplify concerns about civil liberties, her speech underscores the growing intersection between entertainment and political activism. What's next State officials are continuing to challenge the troop deployment in court, and protests are expected to continue throughout the week. It remains to be seen whether more performers or public figures will join Doechii in publicly criticizing the federal crackdown. The Source This article is based on Associated Press coverage of the 2025 BET Awards and live footage of Doechii's acceptance speech. Context was informed by official statements from the Trump administration, California state leaders, and legal filings reviewed by the AP.

Donald Trump Reveals Plans For His Tesla After Elon Musk Feud
Donald Trump Reveals Plans For His Tesla After Elon Musk Feud

Newsweek

timean hour ago

  • Newsweek

Donald Trump Reveals Plans For His Tesla After Elon Musk Feud

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump said he is keeping his red Model S Tesla despite his recent feud with Elon Musk, but it might not stay at the White House, where the electric car has been parked since he bought it. Trump was asked by reporters about his plans for the Tesla vehicle and Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, which the White House uses, after the pair had a dramatic and public falling out. "I may move the Tesla around a little bit, but I don't think we'll be doing that with Starlink. It's a good service," Trump told reporters on Monday. Asked what he meant by moving the Tesla, Trump replied: "I have a lot of locations. I got so many locations that I don't know what to do with them all." Trump purchased the vehicle in March as a show of support for Musk and Tesla amid a backlash against the company. This is a developing article. Updates to follow.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store