Coeur d’Alene Schools Used Up To $60k Of Tax Payer Dollars For Levy Ad Campaign — Did They Violate Idaho’s Electioneering Laws?
At the November 8th Board of Trustees meeting for Coeur d’Alene Schools, trustees Morrisroe, Smith, and Tenbrink approved a $60,000 no-bid contract to advertise the upcoming $25 million dollar levy.
According to school superintendent Dr. Shon Hocker, the contract with Range media group which was originally $75,000, was designed to “educate” the public about the upcoming votes.
Both of the KCRCC endorsed candidates, Leslie Bjerke and Allie Anderton, voted against the expenditure.
According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, taxpayer funds cannot be used to campaign for or against a ballot initiative, such as a levy under Idaho Code 74-604 which states “Neither a public entity nor its employees shall make, nor shall a public official make or authorize, an expenditure from public funds to advocate for or against a candidate or a ballot measure.”
The Idaho Tribune reached out to the Secretary of states office to ask for an example of something that would be considered “unbiased” with regards to something like a school levy. A representative told us:
“Perhaps a school district putting forward a pie chart of what they plan on spending levy money on, if it did go through. Objective facts about what the levy would cost. But in the case of what you’re talking about where it could be argued either way on if they are trying to influence the results, then it would have to come down to a case by case evaluation.”
While the advertisements produced by Range media never say “Vote Yes on the Levy” they are anything but unbiased “education” videos.
In a fake text message conversation in one of the advertisements they say that the levy is “to help pay for teachers, textbooks, computers… building repairs not funded by the state, or alarm systems, or heating, or roofs, or plumbing, or flooring, or security doors…”
“WHAT? sounds like things we need!” the advertisement says. “YES!” the fake text message reads.
In reality, there are two levies taking place. One levy for maintenance at $5 million for 5 years, and one "supplemental" levy for $25 million in perpetuity.
The largest chunk of the perpetual levy, $7,120,000 goes directly towards teachers salaries, not towards maintenance, or extracurricular activities like music programs or sports.
These taxpayer-funded advertisements don’t really educate anyone on what’s actually happening with these levies. Instead, they use emotionally manipulative tactics to urge you to vote in favor of both of the levies, without really explaining the mechanics or the distinction between the two.
We asked the Secretary of State’s Office if they are aware of any complaints being filed about the ad campaign, and they said “We wouldn’t be aware of that at the Secretary of State’s Office. If a complaint of that nature did come through, it would be routed through the Kootenai County Clerk’s office.”
Will Cd’A School Levy Fund CRT And Gender Ideology?
If the levy is approved, it will lead to a significant increase in Coeur d’Alene residents property taxes. According to the School District’s Website the 25 million dollar levy will increase property taxes by “$95.21 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value,” and the maintenance levy will cost $19.04 per $100,000 for a grand total of $114.25 per $100,000 of assessed value.
Coeur d’Alene schools are far from perfect, having adopted the Portrait of a Graduate strategic plan, which includes a Social Emotional Learning program and a controversial “Equity Framework.”
The “Equity Framework” states:
“In further commitment to students, Coeur d’ Alene Public Schools understands that school is a place to nurture and grow cognitive, emotional, relational and physical beings, regardless of history, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.
On page 30 of the Equity Framework, the authors cite a study called Dis/ability critical race studies (DisCrit): theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability.
That study says that they draws upon “insights” from Kimberly Crenshaw’s 1993 work titled Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Kimberle Crenshaw is one of the pioneers of Critical Race Theory.
If Cd’A schools are using “Frameworks” built upon the works of Kimberle Crenshaw (which we just proved they are) then they are de-facto incorporating things like Critical Race Theory in their schools.
They have lied about it, time and again, and now they’re asking you for $25 million using a deceptive, taxpayer-funded, and possibly illegal advertising campaign.
Think long and hard about this one before you go vote this March.
