Happy Pride Month — not.

Once again, it’s that time of year when business logos change to rainbow colors, shops and restaurants hang transgender flags in their windows, and celebrations of sexuality and “gender identity” sweep the nation. American society has been inundated with gay pride parades, drag queen shows, and LGBTQ+ protests for the 30 days comprising the month of June each year since 1999, when former president Bill Clinton dubbed it “Pride Month.” 

There could be no clearer example of the decline of the traditional family structure in Western civilization than the emergence of identity-based social movements, including Pride Month and the transgender movement. 

American society and culture are littered with subliminal messaging selling radical gender ideology as a path toward self-realization and belonging by being celebrated on social media, advertised by corporations and industry, and — worst of all — normalized in schools. 

Arguably, the primary mechanism perpetuating “Pride” ideology is government education, and the presence of these ideologies is increasingly pervasive in both K-12 schools and colleges and universities. This infiltration is occurring both overtly and covertly — even in some schools in Idaho. 

In March, the Idaho Freedom Foundation released an article chronicling parents’ fight to remove woke flags from their children’s classrooms and stop the infiltration of woke ideology being perpetuated at the Salmon Jr/Sr High School. 

Well, we are excited to announce one victory — the woke flag is down!

Despite overwhelming outcry from parents, the Salmon School Board did not take action until the passage and signing of House Bill 41a forced their hand. This, while disappointing, “was not surprising,” one father shared. 

The woke flag issue sparked a broader community debate regarding deeper problems with the school. It revealed the Salmon Jr/Sr High School’s drama department has embraced DEI and a social service organization educates at the school without parental consent, while Christian church groups are disallowed from doing the same. There has been academic targeting of conservative children, and — most egregiously — teachers and school administrators have affirmed children’s trauma-induced gender dysphoria. 

One mother shared, “The influence schools and other students have over our children is mind-boggling… Sometimes you don’t realize the gravity until it’s too late.” Students at the Salmon Jr/Sr High School most assuredly are being overtly (woke flags in classrooms) and covertly (gender affirming “care”) influenced toward radical gender ideology. This has had grave consequences for the life of at least one former student who has socially and medically transitioned to the opposite gender.

In 2023, the Idaho Legislature passed the “Vulnerable Child Protection Act,” which prohibits the healthcare industry in Idaho from administering “gender affirming” treatments to minors. This was a dramatic step forward concerning the safety and well-being of children in the Gem State; however, the law did not extend to non-medical gender expression or mental health counseling for minors.  

In 2022, activist and detransitioner Chole Cole took the nation by storm when she became one of the most well-known faces in the fight against gender affirming “care” for minors. As a 13-year-old child, Cole began puberty blockers and taking testosterone, and by the age of 15, she underwent a double mastectomy. Within a year, however, she tragically discovered it was a terrible mistake — one she was not old enough to make.     

Recently, Cole visited Idaho to share about her experience with gender affirming “care,” detransitioning socially and medically, and the cultural influences that drove her to believe she was a “male trapped in a female body.” She identified unwanted attention from adults, social media, and technology networks at school as being the primary precursors to her transition. 

Over the past several years, hundreds of detransitioners and their parents have also identified teachers, administrators, other students, and networks at public schools as having influenced, propelled, and supported radical gender ideology and transgenderism in themselves or their children. Cole explained these ideas as being “normalized” and “even celebrated” in schools. 

Over the past several years, there has been a marked trend of parents withdrawing their children from the public school system to avoid the radical ideology discussed in the classroom, political bias from teachers and administrators, and violations of parental rights. 

This is also occurring in Idaho. Parents are pulling their children from schools throughout the state to homeschool or explore other education options available to them through Idaho’s new school choice program.    

When Cole was in Idaho, she discussed the importance of parental involvement with their children during their pivotal school years. One parent in Salmon stated, “Situations like the one we are dealing with at the school are yet another reminder to never let the state become the primary stakeholders in your children’s education or life.”  

No institution — whether public or private — has a greater vested interest in a child's education, well-being, character, values, and future than the child’s own family. When parents are engaged, they are better equipped to recognize concerning influences and advocate for their children’s needs. In the rapidly changing cultural climate where schools can introduce sensitive and ideologically driven content, parental knowledge and consent are more important than ever. 

As in the case of the Salmon Jr/Sr High School, swift parental action resulted in a victory in reestablishing a neutral learning environment for children. Furthermore, Salmon parents are continuing the fight to remove wokism from the school and board. At least one parent has declared their intention to run for school board, and a recall process was begun to remove the school board chairman. One father stated, “The flag coming down was only the first step toward victory. There is still lots of work to do to make this school a better place.” 

As families continue to push back, learn from stories like Chloe Cole, and explore alternative education options, one thing has become clear: the fight for the hearts and minds of the next generation is far from over — and it’s a battle many Idahoans are not willing to ignore.