COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — Coeur d’Alene Public Schools plans to design its own welcoming message for students after a new state law forced the removal of “Everyone is welcome here” signs from classrooms.
Superintendent Dr. Shon Hocker mentioned the plan during Monday’s meeting of the school board of trustees, stating that the district aims to create an inclusive environment while complying with Idaho House Bill 41.
The law, which took effect in July, prohibits Idaho public schools from displaying flags or banners that represent political viewpoints, including those regarding political parties, race, sexual orientation, gender, or political ideology.
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador concluded in late June that “Everyone is welcome here” signs are in violation the new law. The signs, which featured images of hands in varying skin tones, had been displayed in some Idaho classrooms, causing nationwide controversy early this year.
Several community members attended Monday’s board meeting wearing t-shirts printed with the “Everyone is welcome here” message. Both current and former district employees spoke during public testimony, defending the signs.
Donna Staub, a former teacher at Lake City High School, said she displayed the sign in her classroom to welcome all students.
“What was my motivation in doing so? Well, it wasn’t political,” Staub said. “The purpose was plain. It was to welcome everyone in my classroom to learn.”
Tamara Sines-Kermelis, a current special education district employee, called the sign removal “deeply disappointing.”
“In a community that has long struggled with the shadow of racism and extremism, removing a sign that says everyone is welcome here only reinforces the perception that some children are not welcome,” Sines-Kermelis said. “That is not the lesson that we should be teaching.”
Sines-Kermelis is encouraging district staff and others across Idaho to wear “Everyone is welcome here” shirts on Wednesdays in schools.
Hocker acknowledged the topic during his address to the board of trustees, emphasizing that creating a welcoming environment remains a district priority.
“The words ‘everybody is welcome here’ are our core,” Hocker said. “It is all about creating a safe and welcoming environment for every single student. And I am super proud of our staff and our team that work towards that every day.”
While the attorney general deemed the specific poster political, Hocker mentioned that the text itself is not.
“The words are not a question,” Hocker said. “And so, we’re in the process of wanting to — we want to do this right. But we want to come up with our own ‘District 271’ banner poster that ensures that anybody that is ever looking at that knows and recognizes that this is an inclusive environment, that we are here for all kids, period.”
Until the district develops its own sign, Hocker said officials are being cautious to avoid potential legal action.
“We think we can accomplish that and not be at odds with the attorney general. We don’t want to deal with a lawsuit from that perspective as well,” Hocker said.
The Coeur d’Alene School District declined our request for drafts of potential designs for the new welcoming message.