A Closer Look at the Idaho Freedom Foundation's Christmas Card

The Idaho Education Association (IEA) is a group that works to improve public schools. They help teachers and school staff get fair pay and good working conditions. The IEA has been doing this for a long time and is still very effective. But there is a group called the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) that does not like what the IEA is doing. The IFF is a conservative think tank that wants to change many things in Idaho. They have even tried to stop the state from fighting COVID-19. Recently, the IFF sent a Christmas card to teachers in Moscow. But the card was not about Christmas cheer. Instead, it told teachers to stop paying dues to the IEA. The IFF said that teachers could keep their money and still get the benefits of being in the union. This is not a new trick. The IFF has been trying to weaken the IEA for years. They believe that public schools are not important. But many people disagree.The IFF was started in 2009. They have a lot of influence in Idaho politics. They even rate legislators on how well they follow the IFF's ideas. One former legislator had a bad experience with the IFF. They had a bill about early childhood education. But a reporter who worked with the IFF told the committee chairperson about it. The next day, the bill was off the agenda. This shows how the IFF can stop things they do not like. They have a lot of power in Idaho politics. The IFF is not popular with everyone. In 2021, a former Supreme Court Justice said that Idaho should not have lawmakers who follow the IFF. But the IFF is still strong. People who care about public schools need to vote for candidates who support education. They should not vote for people who follow the IFF.