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At a recent legislative town hall on April 11, some legislators attacked public schools without offering any evidence to support their claims or proposing solutions to the perceived problems.

For example, Representative Elaine Price justified her cuts and proposed elimination of the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA)—state-certified online classes used by many districts, particularly in rural areas—by saying that teachers in “brick-and-mortar schools” are not teaching but are simply “putting our kids in front of computers.”

Has Representative Price ever visited with staff at our public schools and observed classrooms where the IDLA program is being used?

Representative Dale Hawkins also stated that the Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA), which includes nearly every school district in the state, is promoting “socialism” and that public schools have “gone awry.”

When was the last time Representative Hawkins visited one of the many struggling rural schools in District 2 to observe teaching or speak with local ISBA board members?

If you care about public education, ask questions of candidates in both the primary and general elections, rather than voting based solely on a checklist or party affiliation.