Teacher ordered to remove inclusive signs from classroom; GoFundMe raises more than $15k to support diversity and inclusion

A teacher in Idaho was told to remove two signs in her classroom, which has sparked controversy and support.

One sign reads, “Everyone is welcomed here,” which includes multi-colored hands holding hearts. Another sign reads, “In this room, everyone is welcome, important, accepted, respected, encouraged, valued, and equal.”

(Credit: KTVB YouTube)

She has now gone viral for defying her school district by refusing to remove the two signs from her classroom walls.

Idaho teacher told to remove signs promoting inclusion

Sarah Inama (KTVB YouTube)

Sarah Inama, a sixth-grade teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, Idaho, has taught World Civilization for years and told KTVB News that she’d never received any criticism for her classroom sign until last month.

Following the current president administration’s anti-DEI movement, many school districts, especially in red states, have been changing their policies about messages in the classroom.

“My building administration came to me during my lunch period and told me that they needed to be taken down by the end of the day,” Inama said. “They told me that they were in violation of district policy because, in today’s political environment, they’re considered a ‘personal opinion.'”

“Because I was told to take it down by the end of the day, I did so,” Inama continued. “And the following few days, I was was just so unsettled by it. And so I went back into my classroom and put it back up. And I emailed my principal and said I just, ‘I don’t agree. I don’t agree that this is a personal opinion. I think this is the basis of public education.'”

Inama said school officials followed up with her again. “They came to talk to me, and again, asked me to take it down, and I said, ‘I’m not interested in taking it down.'”

Inama said she was then sent an email by the Chief academic officer highlighting district policy that she was violating: “School property shall not be used by personnel for the advancement of individual beliefs. It is the desire of the District that the physical environment of District facilities be content-neutral, conducive to a positive learning environment and not a distraction to the education environment.”

“While we respect individuals’ rights to express their perspectives, it is important to reaffirm that this situation is not about limiting speech or expression but about ensuring consistency in our classrooms and maintaining a learning environment free from distraction,” a statement sent to Today from Chief of Staff of Communications at West Ada School District said.

“I find it hard to grapple with the fact that the reason why this poster needs to come down is because there are people outside of our school that disagree with it,” Inama said.

According to Today, Inama has been notified that the signs must be removed by the end of the school year, or further action may be taken.

GoFundMe

Since going viral, Inama has seen an overwhelming amount of support from students and the community.

A GoFundMe started in Inama’s honor has raised more than $15, 000 to support diversity and inclusion.

The community is banding together to raise funds to distribute “Everyone is Welcome Here” t-shirts to students in Ada County, Idaho, and beyond.

“Our values and our communities are under threat by those who want to remove diversity from our schools and shut out people of color,” the fundraiser reads.

To read more about the cause, visit the GoFundMe fundraiser here.