EDUCATION: Freedom at stake

When we go to the polls in a few weeks, I hope all the newcomers who have escaped from oppressive governments in other states will educate themselves on what’s at stake in North Idaho.

Idaho ranks 38th in education nationally. Our town is dotted with Soviet Industrial-Style Art that in no way reflects the lake/forest atmosphere we enjoy here. The Coeur d’Alene school system has a $6.1 million deficit even after giant federal money was infused. Our community college recently fired a five-year term president with strong leaning Marxist/socialist ideology.

Now we have a new superintendent of schools with the same ideology. The population of students at NIC fell dramatically recently yet the size of the administration grew. The Coeur d’Alene School District trustees have denied that CRT is being taught, yet their equity framework and Portrait of a Graduate are right out of the playbook of the authors of CRT. Parents who have argued for removal of mask mandates and CRT are called “mobs” and locked out of what is supposed to be (by law) a public meeting.

A steady decline of freedom and quality of life locally lands squarely on the shoulders of the career politicians and their appointees, who have been in power far too long. I encourage all of the voters (newcomers and old alike) to use the official KCRCC sample ballot. These recommended candidates are humble, capable men and women who can and will return a classical education to our children and will absolutely reflect the values of the majority of citizens of Kootenai County.

ANNE PATTERSON

Coeur d’Alene