Voices

Despite the clear benefits, Mike Crapo, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance committee, is holding up the legislation, even as Democrats attempt to compromise.

The stakes in this election go beyond a few legislative seats.

Like many, I owe a debt of gratitude to the teachers and mentors who have guided me from my earliest days in kindergarten to the present.

The bad news is three fold: many states have their own Blaine language, most citizens don’t know what a Blaine Amendment is, and even fewer know how policymakers are using its bigoted foundation as an excuse to block children who need more education options.

No matter what you call a school choice plan, it is still a violation of the Idaho Constitution if it results in public money being used for religious instruction.

Despite the reliance on levies and bonds to bridge funding gaps, last year, Republican legislators eliminated the March election districts often use.

Hundreds of student voices ignored despite rigorous investment research and organizing efforts.

School vouchers claim choice and flexibility, but their track record tells a different story.

I sincerely thank them both for their selfless service to Idaho and their unprecedented contribution to state fiscal sanity, hopefully for years to come.

GOP smear campaigns will no longer be sure winners after Idaho voters approve the Open Primary Initiative in this year’s November election.