Everyone is [not] Welcome: Idaho West Ada School District

Idaho has signs welcoming people into its state, but that same message is controversial in the West Ada School District. The public school directed teacher Sarah Inama to remove two welcoming posters from her classroom. She initially complied with the directive. After giving it additional consideration however, a couple of days later she decided to again post them in her classroom. The school responded by directing her to remove the posters by the end of the year. Read my Letter to the West Ada School Board below for details about the poster.  

My Letter to the West Ada School Board

Dear West Ada School Board:

Earlier this month, Sarah Inama, a sixth-grade teacher at the West Ada School District in Meridian, Idaho, was told to remove two posters from her classroom. One states, “Everyone is Welcome Here,” with a visual of hands showing the range of human skin colors and the other states “In this room everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, equal.” This begs the question: Which hands are not welcome?

Please take a bright red sharpie, walk into Ms. Inama’s classroom and place a large “X” over the hands that are not welcome. Don’t use an insulting, cowardly reason – “this is the teacher’s personal opinion” – as a white hood to try to hide your racism. Be clear. Grow a spine. Dare to say what we know you believe. No one, the people who are outraged and those who agree with you, no one believes that you’re talking about the white hands.

While the sharpie is in your hand, walk over to the other poster, and place an “X” over the specific seven words that do not reflect the District’s values. Or, to save time and ink, simply cross out the words “everyone is” and replace it with “some people are.”

With profound outrage and steadfast determination,

The millions of people in this country who believe in diversity, equity, inclusion, and kindness                 

Additional Developments

On March 12, 2025, the school issued a letter of explanation which contains a list of appropriate messages and posters than can be used in the classroom. The list includes “motivational posters” as acceptable. Apparently however, the West Ada School Board does not find encouraging all students to feel “welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, and equal” to be an appropriate motivational message for its students.

The letter states that their policy limiting “decorations” serves as its rulebook, “ensuring that all visual aids and displays in classrooms align with district guidelines and contribute to a focused, distraction-free learning space.”

It also states that its policy “ensur[es] that district-owned physical property remains content-neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment. The school wrote, “while classroom decorations can enhance the atmosphere, a truly welcoming and supportive environment is built through meaningful relationships, positive interactions, and the daily commitment of our staff—not posters on the walls.”

The district’s letter also includes an illogical analogy, comparing the allowance of the welcome posters to allowing a school athlete to show up with “a different uniform, use a different-sized ball, or ignore the rules,” under the guise of “rules” must be followed.” Read the full letter at: https://interactive.ktvb.com/pdfs/March-12-Communication-RE_Ensuring-Consistent-Supportive-Learning-Environment-Copy.pdf

The District’s Renaissance High School students admirably held a walkout in support

of the teacher, her students, and in furtherance of education. Maggie O’Mara, a reporter with KTVB in Boise, Idaho, asked Sarah how she was doing. Sarah, who has received hundreds positive emails, said, “My students have been talking about it a lot as well and it’s been kind of heartbreaking to see them for the first time have to wonder why that sign would be questioned, but they are very resilient and have been just continuously telling me that they support me and support our classroom poster. They truly are my inspiration and every day when I see them, I don’t have one ounce of regret.”

Welcoming Everyone is Controversial in Idaho's West Ada School District