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Idaho has been truly lucky to have had a man of integrity living among us like Gov. Batt
It was only appropriate that Gov. Phil Batt passed away on March 4 which was his 96th birthday – and the day we celebrate as Idaho Day. Perhaps more than any other political leader of the past half century, Gov. Batt personified what it means to be an Idahoan. Born on a farm in Canyon […]
The Wisconsin public schools story: A cautionary tale for Idaho
Stephen Covey, the best-selling author of “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” wrote that one should “begin with the end in mind” to understand where any endeavor leads. If we follow Covey’s advice and look ahead to where the privatization of Idaho’s public schools will lead, we would do well to look at what has […]
Within Reach: San Francisco Fed president hopes to encourage Idaho students to ‘go on’
Idahoans will have a unique opportunity this Thursday to hear from Mary Daly, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and one of the leading voices in business. President Daly will be speaking at Boise State about the “dual mandate” that the Federal Reserve has in our country, a timely subject given […]
Education is essential for Idaho’s prosperity. Here are some upcoming elections to know about.
The last thing school patrons may have on their minds as they squeeze in that last barbecue or vacation of the summer is exercising their responsibility as citizens to vote. That’s why it’s so important to remind patrons that some important elections are coming up soon. On Aug. 30, 12 school districts will be seeking […]
Laying siege to Idaho education isn’t a home-grown war. It’s imported by conflict entrepreneurs.
We have all witnessed the dysfunction, vitriol, and attacks on education in the Legislature, at local school board meetings, and even at one of our community colleges which has landed it on probation and left it without a functioning board of trustees. We have even seen three attempts in the last four years to privatize […]
As legislators consider voucher scholarship bill, they should reread the Idaho Constitution
Sometimes you wonder if certain members of the Idaho Legislature have even read the Idaho Constitution. For all their pronouncements about honoring and faithfully following the U.S. and Idaho Constitutions, they pay precious little regard to them when passing legislation that fits their agenda. Legislators have ignored their duty under the Constitution to adequately fund […]
Recent studies show public schools are the backbone of most communities in Idaho
Two recent studies should put to rest the debate about how important education is to Idaho’s residents, economy and quality of life. The first is a landmark study on the economic impact of higher education on our state. The second is Boise State University’s seventh annual Idaho Public Policy Survey of what Idahoans say our […]
The way to get more men job skills isn’t by tearing down Idaho women who are getting an education
By now Boise State University professor Scott Yenor’s misogynous remarks at a far-right gathering in Florida have been widely publicized, criticized and, no doubt, applauded in extremist circles. “Our independent women seek their purpose in life in mid-level bureaucratic jobs like human resource management, environmental protection, and marketing,” he told the audience. “They’re more medicated, […]
$1.4B surplus is Idaho’s ‘historic opportunity’ to fund education, build skilled workforce
What if one of Idaho’s companies received a $1.4 billion windfall? Many business leaders would invest it to make their companies more profitable for years to come. Well, Idaho is sitting on a $1.4 billion-surplus, and it has a historic opportunity to invest that money to create greater prosperity for this and future generations of […]