Episode 18: Why Idaho’s 2023 Teacher of the Year left the state — and K-12 education

Carly Flandro | 10/13/2023

Last summer, Karen Lauritzen made national headlines for being named Idaho’s 2023 Teacher of the Year — then leaving it all behind.

The former fourth-grade teacher says the political climate, public distrust, and closed-mindedness drove her away.

In this episode, she tells us more about her decision to leave the state and a profession she loved.

Carly Flandro

Carly Flandro

Carly Flandro reports from her hometown of Pocatello. Prior to joining EdNews, she taught English at Century High and was a reporter for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. She has won state and regional journalism awards, and her work has appeared in newspapers throughout the West. Flandro has a bachelor’s degree in print journalism and Spanish from the University of Montana, and a master’s degree in English from Idaho State University. You can email her at [email protected] or call or text her at (208) 317-4287.

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