If you ask conservatives about their biggest frustrations with the public school system, it won’t be long before the teachers’ union is mentioned. In Idaho, the Idaho Education Association (IEA) claims the right to bargain on behalf of public school teachers, but its influence extends far beyond contract negotiations.
The union, both within Idaho and through its parent organization, the National Education Association (NEA), advocates for extreme left-wing policies at the state and federal levels.
According to a report by Americans for Fair Treatment, the NEA at one point spent $2 on political activities for every $1 spent on representing its members. OpenSecrets.com reports that 95% of the organization’s contributions go to Democrat or left-wing candidates and groups.
In addition to pushing radical leftist ideologies throughout the nation, NEA leaders believe they own your children. The idea that some parents would choose to educate their children outside the public school system is outrageous to the union.
Here at home, the IEA is fighting hard for its member teachers’ right to spread radical gender ideology to your children. Consider this screenshot from the IEA website promoting pride flags in the classroom:
The “suicide prevention” argument has been used against parents for the past decade, warning that if they don’t provide their gender-questioning children with puberty blockers, hormones, and irreversible surgeries, their children will inevitably take their own lives. Detransitioner Chloe Cole has spent years exposing how such threats have been used to manipulate families and harm children. Yet, the IEA is promoting this narrative in your child’s classroom right now.
The IEA doesn’t just believe they own your children—they believe all your money is theirs, too. The union, along with the public school bureaucracy, lays claim to every tax dollar, even those not yet collected. Anytime the issue of school choice comes up, the IEA and its allies accuse the Legislature of funneling money away from public schools and into private hands. This is despite the fact that school choice bills, such as House Bill 93, do not touch money already appropriated for public schools, as well as the reality that public school appropriations have increased every single year.
It goes beyond that, however. This week, Rep. Judy Boyle introduced a bill that would prevent teachers’ unions from engaging in union activities on the taxpayer’s dime. Representatives from not only the teachers’ union but other unions argued for more than an hour that the IEA has an inalienable right to your money. Watch the entire hearing here:
Of course, it’s not enough for the union to exert control over the public school system. The IEA and its allied PACs spend tremendous amounts of money each year attempting to reshape the Legislature to suit their agenda. In addition to direct endorsements, the IEA operates its own PAC, the Political Action Committee for Education (PACE). Last year, the IEA funneled tens of thousands of dollars via PACE to another PAC called Right 2 Learn, which almost exclusively targeted Rep. Wendy Horman. Horman, of course, was a primary sponsor of the school choice tax credit bill that died in committee last year and served as the basis for this year’s H93.
The IEA’s endorsements are just as revealing. The union endorsed every viable Democrat and settled for moderate Republicans elsewhere. Frankly, I would be embarrassed as a Republican to receive an endorsement from this organization. The IEA endorsed Rep. Ted Hill in the 2022 primary in District 14 but revoked that endorsement after deciding he was too conservative for their taste. Hill’s offenses? Supporting bills such as:
- Senate Bill 1100, requiring boys to use the boys’ bathroom.
- House Bill 415, allowing teachers with enhanced concealed pistol licenses to carry on school grounds.
- House Bill 602, preventing public money from subsidizing the teachers’ union.
This is what the IEA stands against, which raises the question: What do the Republicans who retained its endorsements stand for?
The IEA and its allies recoil at any suggestion that families should be able to direct tax dollars toward alternative educational options. Like all left-wing organizations, the union refers to any school choice program as a “voucher” scheme, likely believing the word will scare people into opposing them. Elected officials who receive the endorsement of the teachers’ union must feel pressure to prove their bona fides by holding the line against any form of school choice.
The IEA endorsed 11 House Republicans in the 2024 general election, and all 11 voted against H93 on the floor last week:
- Rep. Rick Cheatum
- Rep. Lance Clow
- Rep. Marco Erickson
- Rep. Rod Furniss
- Rep. Dan Garner
- Rep. Lori McCann
- Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen
- Rep. Jack Nelsen
- Rep. James Petzke
- Rep. Mark Sauter
- Rep. Joshua Wheeler
The IEA also endorsed two Republican senators, Kevin Cook and Jim Woodward. They will shortly face a choice of whether to follow the will of the union, or stand up for families and students in Idaho who are desperate for alternatives.
The IEA plays a rhetorical game called “motte and bailey.” On offense, it aggressively attacks conservative values while advancing far-left policies. But when criticized, it retreats to the claim that it’s simply a professional organization representing hardworking Idaho teachers. Its “Because of an Educator” page highlights stories from figures like Gov. Brad Little and Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, lending legitimacy to the idea that it’s just a wholesome group of educators.
Nevertheless, the IEA is the classic wolf in sheep’s clothing, cloaking itself in the image of your friendly neighborhood teacher while working to subvert the very communities it claims to serve. While I know for certain that there are many good teachers in Idaho, who love their students and still believe in traditional values, their voices are drowned out by the IEA.
Pay close attention tomorrow afternoon when the Senate Local Government & Taxation Committee hears testimony on H93. You will hear representatives of the IEA and its allied organizations claim ownership not only of your tax dollars, but your children as well. Will your senator have the courage to stand up for what is right?
Gem State Chronicle is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
