School Board Elections
You might not know it, but there will be a Trustee Election to elect members of the Boise School Board held on Tuesday, September 6, 2022. This is an unusual date for an election, so many people may be unaware, but it is of critical importance. The outcome of this election will determine the direction of the Board for years to come, and it will have significant influence over the education thousands of Idaho children will receive.
My Education Task Force has been working diligently to push for increased transparency and a return to traditional, conservative education in Idaho, and school board elections are one of the keys to accomplishing these goals. It is crucial that we elect trustees who will listen to parents and work to bring our schools into alignment with Idaho's conservative culture.
I encourage all Idahoans to familiarize themselves with their local school districts and school boards. Even if you don't have children in the public school system, these boards have an outsized influence on the culture (and the taxes) in our state. CLICK HERE to see a list of Idaho's school districts that includes links to their various websites.
It is important to know the political and social positions of the people sitting on these boards and the candidates seeking to join them. While these positions are technically non-partisan, there are still significant political implications to these elections.
Below is a list of questions which may be used to vet candidates for school board. It is imperative to understand the worldviews and possible agendas these candidates are seeking to advance.
Suggested Vetting Questions
Please tell us about your personal background, including interest in and/or any experience related to education. (Examples: instruction, school board, union affiliation, etc.)
Please describe your interest in education, in particular your view of education in Idaho.
Please describe your understanding and viewpoint regarding Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Please describe your understanding and viewpoint regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT), including how CRT relates to history and justice.
Please describe your understanding of Idaho’s Common Core Curriculum.
Please describe your understanding of Marzano’s High Reliability Schools for Idaho.
What are your thoughts about Standards Based Grading (SBG)?
Who should choose and direct the choices of school curriculum? Explain why.
What do you see as the appropriate role for parents in education and why?
Should public funds follow students from one school setting to another? Why or why not?
In which founding documents, if any, should students be well-versed?
What is the difference, if any, between biological sex and gender?
What do you believe the school’s role is in teaching sex education?
With as much detail as you can provide, what are the responsibilities of a school board?
Describe in detail the proper relationship between school boards, administration, parents, and taxpayers.
You can learn more about my Education Task Force and other education issues by visiting my recently updated website at lgo.idaho.gov/education-task-force.Sincerely,
Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin
