Why Politics?
Why is the Idaho Education Association involved in politics? It’s a fair question.
Idaho educators want to focus on what they do best: teaching children. But important decisions that affect educators and students – from class sizes to curriculum, from technology to teacher salaries and benefits – are made every day in Idaho’s school districts and by elected officials in Boise and in Washington D.C. The IEA works hard to monitor these developments and advocate for strong public schools where students can thrive with the help of qualified, caring teachers.
Idaho Education Association membership is voluntary. Most members join because of the outstanding benefits available plus their knowledge that all educators benefit from the IEA’s advocacy. Members pay their dues out of their own paychecks. Member dues are never used to support political candidates for federal, state, or local office, but members may make optional contributions to the IEA’s Political Action Committee for Education (PACE) and/or the NEA Fund For Children & Public Education.
Members of the public who support strong schools may wish to contribute to and become involved in the work of Idahoans for Responsible Education Reform. Its goals include enacting meaningful, student-centered education reform and working to overturn the three harmful education laws passed by the 2011 Idaho Legislature.
Here are other ways you can help:
- Be sure you register to vote – and vote in every election, including school board and bond/levy elections.
- Contact your state and federal elected officials to speak out on pending legislation and education policy matters.
- If you are an IEA member, check in with your building representative and local association for upcoming events and activities in your area.
- Subscribe to the Hotline during each session of the Idaho Legislature (January through March-April) for regular updates on what’s happening at the State Capitol.
- Connect with other educators on the IEA’s Facebook page and with a wider community of public education supporters on Idaho Parents and Teachers Together Facebook page.
- Write letters to the editor, call talk radio, and – most important of all – tell your family, friends, neighbors, and work colleagues why you support strong public schools. Ask them to speak out, too. See our Media Tips page for more information and contacts.
More about PACE …
We are the Idaho Education Association’s Political Action Committee for Education (PACE) and our strength isn’t in big money. Our strength is in the commitment of our members.
The purpose of the PACE recommendation process is to identify, select, and support state legislative candidates who share the Association’s commitment to the advancement of public education in Idaho.
Candidates who earn a PACE recommendation receive critical organizational and financial support, as well as a statewide network of members.
The PACE recommendation procedure is a democratic process by which local IEA members determine which candidates will get a PACE recommendation.
Candidate questionnaire and interview: Candidates and incumbents in each legislative district are mailed a questionnaire that asks for the candidate’s views on various educational issues. Questionnaires are returned and the region PACE representative schedules recommendation interviews with each candidate individually in a convenient location.
The interview: The region PACE representative, who serves as the chair and facilitator of the interview process, invites interested IEA members living in the legislative district of each candidate to attend the interview.
The vote: After all candidates are interviewed in a legislative district, all PACE-contributing members attending the interview are given a secret ballot and asked to decide whether any candidate will be recommended.
Votes are tallied and the candidate who receives the highest number of votes is recommended to PACE.
PACE reviews the recommendations and makes decisions about the level of financial support each recommended candidate receives.
Recommended candidates decide whether, when, and how to announce their PACE recommendation.
