To Mr. Hyde, Principal at Lewis and Clark Middle School and Lori Frasure, chair, West Ada Board of Trustees, Meridian, Idaho:

We write to you in protest of your administration’s decision to order Sarah Inama to remove two posters from her sixth grade classroom. You know the ones. The one that says “EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE”.  The removal of this poster sends the clear message that everyone is NOT welcome in your school. The other, ostensibly equally objectionable poster, proclaims “in this room everyone is WELCOME, IMPORTANT, ACCEPTED, RESPECTED, ENCOURAGED, VALUED, EQUAL”. We are left wondering which part of that message is the one that tips the balance and sends the message out to the community that some sixth grade students are NOT valued, or respected, or important?

Yours is a public school in the city of Meridian. A public school. As educators and other concerned individuals living in the United States, we are fully aware (as we believe you should be) that our federal government guarantees all students a free and appropriate public education until the age of 18. Sixth graders certainly fall into that age bracket. There are no caveats that suggest that some of those students are not eligible for that education.  But are you allowing, in your order, that some students are eligible, but not respected? Eligible, but not really welcome? Eligible, BUT NOT VALUED?

That this issue has come up at all – that you, the principal, could put forth such a mandate – and that the Board would support the order –  is simply unfathomable to us as human beings! It’s beyond belief that in your positions of power that this is the message you want to send out to your community and the world, but most unconscionably, to students in or coming in to the sixth grade!

It has been suggested that the rational behind the order has to do with the signs not reflecting the views “of all people”. Again we ask: what is the subsequent message you are sending out to the community, the world, but especially the children? That it is completely acceptable that some people do not respect, value, and welcome all children INTO YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOL and that those people’s feelings and views matter more than the children you are entrusted to educate? That’s a pretty tough lesson for children to have to learn at your school as they grow up. How are students supposed to feel safe in your schools?

We implore you to consider what you really want to stand for as educators. We demand that you take back your order and openly celebrate the good work that Sarah Inama is obviously doing to nurture and encourage all of her students! Your students!

In solidarity with Ms. Inama’s good work,

Lisa Ericson, 37 year public school educator in central Maine