Outgoing Senate Education Chairman John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene, said he’s concerned about the future of state-provided broadband for Idaho schools, after a judge voided the state’s contract for the Idaho Education Network, ruling it was issued illegally. “Certainly the attorneys for the state all along have expressed confidence in what had been done,” Goedde said. “So it kind of takes me aback a little bit, to find out that the summary judgment was issued.” “There have been issues with the IEN all along,” Goedde said. But he said the concept behind it is important. “Expanding broadband to schools is, from my perspective, one of the great equalizers,” he said. “It certainly brings the whole world to students, and to teachers. So it’s become an integral part of the everyday classroom, and I just can’t envision that changing. We owe that to Idaho’s students”/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise. More here.