Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 13, 2025

Updated at 3:30 p.m. with more information on a student walkout. 

A controversy over signs in a West Ada classroom has garnered national attention and sparked an outpouring of support for the impacted teacher.

The maelstrom began in January, when administrators asked Sarah Inama, a teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Meridian, to take down two signs promoting inclusivity. She was told to remove the signs by the end of the day.  

Inama initially complied, but then put the signs back up because she felt “unsettled” by being asked to remove them, she told KTVB, which first reported on the controversy Tuesday.  

The signs, below, share the message that all students are welcome and feature hands of different skin colors and a series of words highlighted in a rainbow of colors. 

Marcus Myers, the district’s chief academic officer, told Inama in an email that her signs were out of alignment with the district’s policy 401.20. The district shared the emails with EdNews.

The policy encourages staff to display the American flag in their classrooms, and says other flags, banners, posters, signs or photos should be “content neutral and conducive to a positive learning environment.” The policy then provides a lengthy list of appropriate displays, such as the periodic table, mathematical equations, motivational posters or student artwork. 

The policy also references a 2021 state law banning critical race theory in K-12 and higher ed classrooms. That law says school staff must “respect the dignity of others, acknowledge the right of others to express differing opinions and foster and defend intellectual honesty, freedom of inquiry and instruction and freedom of speech and association.”

Idaho code also says students should not be taught that “any sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color, or national origin is inherently superior or inferior” or that individuals should be treated adversely due to any of those qualities. 

Administrators told Inama her signs were not “content neutral,” and were “a personal opinion,” she told KTVB.  “I was told … that ‘everyone is welcome here’ is not something that everybody believes.”

Inama disagreed. “I feel like this is the basis of public education,” she told KTVB. 

EdNews asked Niki Scheppers, West Ada’s chief of staff and communications, to address concerns that the request to remove the signs could be considered racist, or could imply that students of color are not welcome in classrooms. 

“West Ada School District is committed to ensuring that every student feels safe, supported, and valued in our schools,” Scheppers wrote in an email. “The request to remove specific signage is not about excluding or marginalizing any group of students. Our policies are in place to maintain a neutral educational environment while upholding our commitment to inclusion, respect, and belonging for all.” 

Inama now has until the end of the school year to remove the signs from her classroom, Scheppers said. If Inama does not comply, the next steps “will be handled internally through established personnel processes and human resources,” Scheppers wrote. 

EdNews reached out to Inama for comment Wednesday, but has not been able to speak with her yet. Check back for updates. 

Since KTVB’s story ran on Tuesday, it has been picked up by national outlet HuffPost as well as multiple statewide news outlets. 

On social media, there has been an outpouring of support for Inama, including reposts of her “Everyone is welcome here” sign as a show of solidarity. 

The Wassmuth Center for Human Rights posted a message Wednesday affirming its support — and support from 70 other organizations. 

“Let’s be clear — creating a welcoming environment isn’t a partisan statement; it’s a necessary condition for students to learn and grow,” the post said. “When messages of belonging are erased, exclusion becomes the norm.”

“At first glance, this might seem like a minor incident in a single classroom, but its implications are far-reaching,” Christina Bruce-Bennion, executive director for the Wassmuth Center, wrote in an opinion piece that EdNews published. “Words either foster belonging and peace or lay the groundwork for avoidance, exclusion and harm.”

Scheppers said the district “has received a range of feedback from staff, parents, and community members regarding this matter.” 

“West Ada remains committed to fostering a welcoming environment for all students while ensuring compliance with state law and district policy,” she continued. “We appreciate the engagement from our community and encourage open dialogue.”

Students are chiming in too. Dozens participated in a Thursday afternoon walkout to “spread the word that kindness is not political,” according to Finn Angelopoulos, 17, a senior at West Ada’s Renaissance High School. If district policies “are being used to discourage teachers from making their students feel safe and welcome at school, serious change must be made,” Angelopoulos wrote in a text message to EdNews. The students protested in front of West Ada’s district office, holding signs with messages like: “She put it back up!”, “Loving is including” and “Equality is not political.”

The Legislature has passed House Bill 41, which would prohibit political and ideological flags in public school classrooms. It is now headed to Gov. Brad Little’s desk. If the bill becomes law, teachers could display the U.S. and Idaho flags in classrooms, along with a lengthy list of other exceptions, including official flags representing Native American tribes, colleges and universities and foreign nations, EdNews previously reported.

In an email to Inama, Myers said West Ada’s policy “may need to be amended accordingly” if the bill passes.