Far-right extremists have chased away yet another good person from Idaho. This time, they’ve scared off Karen Lauritzen, Idaho’s 2023 teacher of the year. Lauritzen, who was a fourth-grade teacher in Post Falls in North Idaho, is leaving after right-wing activists and their allies attacked her and called her a “left-wing activist,” according to The Boston Globe. Among her offenses? Supporting LGBTQ+ students, African-American students and, apparently, teaching about the United Nations.
The attacks came after she was named teacher of the year, selected by a blue ribbon panel from among 13 finalists. Can you imagine the kind of person who, upon hearing that a teacher was just named teacher of the year, reacts by trying to find ways to attack that teacher for being an educator? Lauritzen was accused of “promoting transgenderism.” Extremists reportedly found social media posts in which Lauritzen showed support for the LGBTQ+ community and Black Lives Matter, as if supporting all students were a bad thing for a teacher to do.
Lauritzen told the Boston Globe she faced complaints from parents about a lesson on some worldwide cultures who eat insects, and even objections to students learning about the United Nations, proof that these types of attacks are ridiculous and unhinged. “I should have felt celebrated and should have felt like this is a great year, and honestly it was one of the toughest years I have ever had teaching, not only with my community but with parents questioning every decision I made as well,” Lauritzen told the Boston Globe. “Even after 21 years of teaching, my professional judgment was called into question more this year than it ever has in the past.” Lauritzen has since left Idaho and moved to Illinois, hopefully where her talents are better appreciated.
Idaho’s loss is Illinois’ gain.
www.bpr.org
