Bill Description: Senate Bill 1439 would repeal a code section that will soon be created by House Bill 521. HB 521, among other things, forbids schools seeking money from the school modernization facilities fund from requiring job applicants to sign written diversity statements.
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Does the bill reinforce the idea of equal treatment under the law, merit, individual responsibility, personal agency, and expectations of academic excellence? Conversely, does the bill allow for any type of discrimination against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group for any purpose on the basis of race, sex, color, economic class, ethnicity, national origin, geographic area, legacy status, or other identity group?
Senate Bill 1439 would repeal Section 33-916, Idaho Code, which will soon be created by House Bill 521. (This bill has passed the Legislature but has not yet been acted upon by the governor.)
That section contains three distinct subsections addressing requirements for school districts seeking money from the school modernization facilities fund. The first requires such districts to submit "a ten (10) year facilities plan in accordance with provisions of section 33-918, Idaho Code."
The second subsection deals with when and how a district may enact a 4-day school week rather in place of the typical 5-day school week. This has become a controversial provision.
The third subsection requires that a district seeking money from the facilities fund "attests compliance with the dignity and nondiscrimination in public education requirements specified in section 33-138, Idaho Code, and further attests that the school district does not require job applicants to sign written diversity statements."
Senate Bill 1274, which was recently signed into law, prohibits Idaho's public colleges and universities from requiring an applicant for admissions or employment to submit or ascribe to a diversity statement. Idaho does not have a similar law broadly protecting current or prospective school district employees from such requirements.
Repealing Section 33-916, Idaho Code, as proposed by Senate Bill 1439, would remove an important limitation on the despicable and discriminatory practice of requiring job applicants to agree to diversity statements.
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