Church orders 50+ ‘Everyone Is Welcome’ shirts in support of Idaho teachers
News Story Kali Nelson | FāVS News
What began as one woman’s wardrobe choice snowballed into a 50-shirt statement of support for Idaho educators facing classroom censorship.
Ginger Allen, director of faith formation at Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse, wore a shirt in support of the “Everyone is Welcome” sign an Idaho teacher was asked to remove by her school board. The shirt shows the banner with the words “Everyone is Welcome” and an illustration of multicolored hands with hearts in them.
The pastor, the Rev. Elizabeth Stevens noticed the shirt and said she thought it would be a great way for everyone to show their support for Idaho teachers.
The controversy made national headlines in March when Lewis and Clark Middle School teacher Sarah Inama was asked to remove the original poster from her classroom over concerns about it violating the Idaho’s Dignity and Nondiscrimination in Public Education Act.
Inama spoke at an Ada County Board Meeting April 14 in Boise and said she had not put the poster up with a political message behind it. She also said she had conversations with the school board before she went public with the story.
Stevens said her congregation values diversity and wanted to show their support. The Moscow church displays their social justice values on banners around the chapel.
After the service Stevens asked Allen if it would be possible to take orders for the shirt via the church email list.
“We value diversity and being willing to show up,” Allen said. “That’s how we live our faith.”
Over the course of about two weeks 48 individuals ordered over 50 shirts. Now the church has stopped taking orders, as it seemed all who wanted one purchased one.
“Teachers in Moscow — who I didn’t even know were on our email list — have reached out and said they appreciate the support,” Allen said.
Stevens said the shirts are one way the congregation shows their support of their community. They also participate in the Chase the Chill program, which provides free hats, gloves and other small winter items at a few locations across Moscow. Many of these items are available for no questions near the Moscow Public Library.
“We love libraries, we love schools and we love teachers,” Stevens added.
Another way is through the Food for Kids program over the summer, which packs over 100 bags of food each week for school-aged children to take home. Food for Kids is a joint program with St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Moscow and the bags are handed out during the free summer food program around Moscow.
Stevens said they also have a program called Month of Sundays where all money collected in the offering plate that month is donated to a local nonprofit.
“We can on a local and personal level show up,” Stevens said.
