House passes 'anti-indoctrination' bill

The Idaho Legislature cleared a hurdle Thursday in the race to adjourn, as the House approved a bill that would prohibit public schools from what lawmakers call indoctrination.

House Bill 377, the Dignity And Nondiscrimination In Public Education bill, was fast-tracked to the House floor. The bill’s language calls for K-12 schools, universities, districts and students to “respect the dignity of others, acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions, and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction, and freedom of speech and association.”

The House has remained mired in a debate over critical race theory, an activist theory that the country’s history of racism and slavery has created a power imbalance that continues to permeate most, if not all, facets of American life.

HB 377 specifically calls out critical race theory, saying the tenets behind the theory undermine free expression and dignity. It’s a sentiment lawmakers echoed Thursday on the House floor.

“We have to do something, and the longer we wait, the longer our kids are indoctrinated with this garbage,” said Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, shortly before voting in favor of the bill.

Critical race theory and social justice have made their way to the forefront of a narrative in the House this session. Lawmakers have sent back — promised not to approve — an appropriations bill dedicated to teacher salaries unless intent language was included that would prevent the teaching of social justice and critical race theory.

The bill specifically prevents schools from requiring students to adhere to these theories.

Because the Idaho Legislature has a constitutional responsibility to approve a complete budget, that appropriations bill has to eventually pass before lawmakers can end the session. The House has been feeling the heat — from state leaders, op-eds and even Idaho senators eagerly waiting to go home — to wrap up.

With the House’s passage of HB 377, representatives believe the appropriations bill dedicated to paying the state’s teachers will now pass cleanly without additional intent language.

The House Education Committee fast-tracked the bill for debate and approval to the House floor with a “do-pass” recommendation. The House then suspended its rules to bring HB 377 to the top of the agenda. It passed on a 57-12 party-line vote.

“Unity and diversity are not opposites,” said Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, sponsor of the bill. “One way we unite is by ensuring a classroom environment that is free from discrimination, and where the beliefs of each student are respected.”

But Democrats said HB 377 is a redundant bill that could theoretically be weaponized against teachers, that the Republicans’ concerns over indoctrination are overstated, and that the bill disrespects teachers after one of the most challenging school years on record.

“There just has not been time for our teachers to teach critical race theory,” said Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City. “They’ve worked their tails off to develop hybrid teaching for our students due to COVID.”

The language of the bill specifies that no school will compel a student to believe that any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior, that individuals should be adversely treated on the basis of their sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin, or that individuals, by virtue of sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin, are inherently responsible for the actions committed in the past by other members of the same sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin.

“Critical race theory isn’t just a teaching,” Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, told the House. “It’s a verb. It’s activating. It’s indoctrinating.”

Not long after, Idaho education groups released a joint statement against HB 377, saying the bill stifles academic freedom and caps a student’s ability to think critically. Gov. Brad Little released an opinion later Thursday afternoon that, without mentioning the bill, called for Idahoans to support education.

“Idaho’s public education system is locally driven,” Little said. “If parents or teachers spot something that concerns them, they should bring it to the attention of the teacher, principal, superintendent, or school board trustees and root out the problem at the local level, which is the closest and most responsive to our students and parents. Curriculum in Idaho is always the responsibility of your local school board.”

The governor's opinion piece appears on today's Press Opinions page, and HB 377 now goes to the Idaho Senate for consideration.