Debate: ‘Unnecessary,’ ‘Need to listen,’ ‘Misinterpretation’

The House debate on SB 1108 has continued with Democratic representatives speaking against the bill, though one more Republican, Rep. Mack Shirley, R-Rexburg, now has spoken in favor of it. He’s only the second, other than the bill’s sponsor.

Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, told the House, “What’s bothered me about this process is we’ve not involved people on the ground.” Rep. Bill Killen, D-Boise, called the bill “totally unnecessary.” He said, “The reason I’m opposing the bill is that I have heard loud and long from my constituents, not only in my District 17 but throughout the state, and these are not just teachers, these are parents, grandparents, students, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters. I would say I’ve heard from at least 3,000 people in the last two weeks. … They are overwhelmingly opposed to this.” Rep. Elfreda Higgins, D-Garden City, said she’s had a similar experience. “I work for those people, they’re the ones that put me here,” she said, “and I think we need to listen to them.” Rep. Sue Chew, D-Boise, said, “I think this bill is going in the wrong direction.”

House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston, told the House, “I think this bill will likely result in removal of teachers.” At his local junior high, he said, eight classroom teachers already are applying for jobs in other states.

Shirley told the House, “The most troubling thing for me has been the misinterpretation, and the accusation that this bill is vilifying, demeaning and harsh on the teaching profession. … I don’t see this as a slap in the face of the profession. I don’t see it that way at all.” He said, “This legislation … is not demeaning, and ultimately will improve the process of teaching.”