In this episode, our guest is Sarah Inama, the former West Ada School District educator who made national and international headlines earlier this year refusing to bow to her school district administration’s directive to take down her classroom poster affirming the importance of inclusion and diversity. 

Sarah’s story and her now-famous ‘Everyone is Welcome Here’ poster became a rallying point for those eager to support students, educators and public education. 

The IEA Reporter Podcast caught up with Sarah from home during summer break to talk to her about her experiences and what comes next for her.

This week: a legislative update and discussion about IEA's annual Delegate Assembly with IEA President Layne McInelly. Delegate Assembly, the highest governing body of the largest union in Idaho, will be held April 4-5 in Boise.

In this episode, the student mental health crisis gripping Idaho public schools and the challenges it poses for educators and policy makers. Our guest is Darcie DeLeon, an IEA board member and school counselor in Twin Falls, Idaho. 

In this episode, we discuss Week 7 of the Idaho Legislature, including final legislative approval of Idaho's first voucher bill, House Bill 93. We also talk to IEA member and Rigby High School librarian, Heidi Robbins, about the impact of 2024 library legislation and IEA's new Library Committee.

Host: Mike Journee

This week we take a brief look at Week 4 of the 2025 Idaho Legislature and take a deep dive on the current state of the voucher debate. Guests are Quinn Perry, associate executive director at the Idaho School Boards Association and Chris Parri, political director at the Idaho Education Association, as well as Matt Compton, IEA's associate executive director.

Host: Mike Journee

In this episode, we discuss the expiration of the Idaho Educator Career Ladder, the funding framework the Idaho Legislature has used for 10 years to provide predictable funding and raises to educators in Idaho. We’ll talk with IEA Region Director Jason McKinley, who works in IEA’s Region 2 in the Lewiston-Moscow area, and IEA Associate Director Matt Compton about what challenges these changes to may mean for educator contract negotiations and teacher pay. 

This week, we take a brief look at the second week of the 2025 legislative session in Idaho, including a new bill trying to ban flags and banners like the Pride flag in classrooms. We also take a look at the impact of 2024's "BandAid Bill," which prohibits educators from providing any medical attention to students in their classroom. Boise Education Association President Lara Luthy and IEA Political Director Chris Parri join us for that conversation.

Host: Mike Journee

This week we take a brief look at what happened during the 2025 Idaho Legislature's first week, including lots of talk about voucher legislation, and have a conversation with Idaho Education News Senior Reporter Kevin Richert. A 40-year veteran of Idaho journalism, Richert discusses what educators can expect from this year's session, the state of journalism in Idaho, and his observations after four decades of observing the Idaho Statehouse. 

In this episode, we discuss what IEA members can expect from the 2025 session of the Idaho Legislature. Joining us are Lisa Callaway, and IEA member from Boise who serves on the union's government relations and political action committees, IEA President Layne McInelly and Chris Parri, IEA's political director. 

HOST: Mike Journee

The Idaho Legislature adjourned last week and the results for public education and IEA members were nothing short of monumental. 

Historic pay raises for both certified educators and education support professionals and the defeat seven voucher bills proved the influence of IEA members is real and important for education policy in Idaho.

In our final HOTLINE Podcast of the year, IEA’s Political Director Chris Parri and Associate Executive Director Matt Compton offer analysis of the session’s results and next steps for education policy in Idaho.