A Boise teacher was suspended. Students and parents want her back in the classroom
Some parents and students are demanding answers from the Boise School District after a teacher was suspended last week.
Timberline High School teacher Laura Boulton was placed on paid administrative leave, Boise School District spokesperson Dan Hollar told the Idaho Statesman by email Monday. He declined to comment further on Boulton’s suspension, including the reason for it, citing an exemption in Idaho’s Public Records Act that allows agencies to withhold personnel information.
Timberline High School Principal Diana Molino sent an internal email, which was obtained by the Statesman, to parents and guardians Tuesday afternoon informing them about Boulton’s suspension. Molino said Boulton will be out of the classroom “for a period of time.”
A district employee can be suspended with pay until the next board meeting or for 21 business days, whichever comes first, according to the board’s policy manual. The school board Monday decided to continue three employees’ suspensions.
A group of students walked out of class Friday, the day after Boulton was suspended, according to emails obtained by the Statesman. The Idaho Press reported that students are planning another walkout between their third and fourth periods Thursday.
In a social media post shared with the Statesman, students last week asked for people to “take a stand” if they feel Boulton should be reinstated. The post also asked supporters to protest, talk to staff and “show them that this school is better with Boulton.”
“Laura Boulton is someone who fights for what is right and believes in creating a healthy and loving work environment,” the social media post read. “She cares for her kids and helps them succeed in ways they never have thought of.”
Find the latest update on Boulton’s suspension here.
This story was originally published September 13, 2023 at 4:00 AM.
