On Thursday, Kellogg High School senior Travis Lohr took part in an activity where seniors share advice for lowerclassmen. In a departure from his preapproved remarks, Lohr spoke from his heart, saying, “Guys are guys and girls are girls. There is no in-between.”
Despite the fact that this simple statement has been a truism for all of human history, the leadership of Kellogg High School seemed to think it was unacceptable. Principal Dan Davidian informed Lohr that he would not be allowed to walk in his graduation ceremony on Saturday.
Reactions came swiftly. Local news outlets publicized the incident, and Travis himself sat down with IFF president Wayne Hoffman to share his story.
“I didn’t direct it at any groups or anything like that; it was just something I chose to say in the moment,” Travis explained. “There was a short pause, and then an uproar of cheers.”
Speaking the truth is revolutionary and exciting in a world full of lies.
At least 100 students and parents gathered outside the school at 9:00am, including a popular bus driver named Dakota Mailloux who decided to join the walkout on his own time. Before the protest had even finished, Mailloux was called into Davidian’s office and summarily fired with no specific reason given.
Mailloux took a few minutes to speak to Wayne Hoffman Friday afternoon, explaining why he joined the walkout with his American flag. “I saw the thing on Facebook last night about how he was not being allowed to walk because of his very factual assertion that there is only two genders, and it did not sit well with me.”
Mailloux asked IFF to pass along a message to his students: “I'm sorry I won't be driving anymore and that I will miss them all very much! I hope they always stand up for themselves, even if it's hard. It has been an honor and a privilege.”
Kellogg High School decided to cancel classes for the afternoon, releasing students at 10:45am rather than face continued disruption. Shortly thereafter, they released a statement postponing their graduation ceremony as well. In the statement, they blamed “outside groups and agitators” for threatening the safety of students, staff, and families.
Incidentally, the Shoshone County Sheriff since December, Holly Lindsey, is “married” to Kellogg High School art teacher Rachel Clark-Krusemark, who has long used her influence to push woke ideas in this small community.
It seems likely that there are grounds for lawsuits against Kellogg High School by both Travis Lohr and Dakota Mailloux. Perhaps the Pacific Legal Foundation, fresh off a Supreme Court victory for the Sackett family, will step in to help this young man who is being punished for speaking the truth.
Rep. Heather Scott, whose district includes the town of Kellogg, posted on Twitter, “You get better government by getting better people in government. The community should be outraged! Shoshone County must rally around truth and our first amendment rights!”
The lesson that Idahoans should take from this controversy is that no community is small enough to escape the specter of wokeism. Kellogg is just a little mining town, with less than a thousand students attending local schools, exactly the sort of place that should be safe from the mind-virus that is sweeping our nation. Contrary to what the governor, establishment legislators, and public school bureaucrats say, it IS happening here. There is no running, there is no hiding, there is only standing up, as Travis Lohr did, and saying, “Enough.”
Idaho Freedom Foundation has organized a GiveSendGo campaign for anyone who would like to give toward a graduation gift for Travis Lohr. 100% of donations will go straight to him. Click here if you would like to contribute. Help us show Travis that we appreciate his courage to say what is true regardless of the woke agenda.
