A new CWI trustee just resigned. Her parting shot at Idaho legislators ignited outrage
A newly elected trustee for the College of Western Idaho had her resignation accepted Monday amid an uproar over a Facebook post calling out two state legislators.
April Baylon, who was elected last November to the CWI board of trustees, said she is moving out of Idaho and had to step down. But on Friday night, she took issue with a pair of Republican lawmakers.
“I will always be proud of my Idaho roots and my district 22 but I am officially putting you on notice Representative John Vander Woude and your spawn of Satan Senator Lori Den Hartog,” Baylon wrote in a Facebook post. “I’m coming for you.”
Ada County Republicans responded on Facebook on Sunday, calling for Baylon to resign for “personally threatening” Den Hartog, R-Meridian, and Vander Woude, R-Nampa.
CWI announced Monday morning that the board had accepted Baylon’s resignation during an emergency meeting. Baylon told the Statesman that she had submitted her resignation the day before the Facebook post — and that she still stood by what she said. She disputed any claim that the post was a violent threat, and said she was speaking only in political terms in response to the legislators’ votes on education bills.
CWI confirmed that Baylon submitted her resignation Thursday.
“Whether it’s me or any of my cohorts out there, I will do whatever I can to ensure they no longer have a job,” Baylon said of Vander Woude and Den Hartog. “And if anyone knows me they know I’m not a violent threat, I don’t own guns ... nor would I ever sink to that level.”
Baylon said she resigned because she’s in the midst of leaving a relationship and the state, making her no longer eligible to serve as a trustee for Zone 3. She told the Statesman that she’s relocating to Columbia, Missouri, to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Missouri — but that she’s still invested in the political representation of her home district.
Baylon said she criticized Den Hartog and Vander Woude for not supporting measures that would help low-income students, among other things.
“The majority of legislation that these two support negatively impact the most vulnerable members of District 22,” Baylon said. “They have no regard for the citizens of their community and therefore I will work diligently to see they are both replaced in their prospective elections.”
CWI spokesperson Mark Browning apologized in a Facebook comment Monday morning on the Ada County Republicans Facebook page, saying this was the “words and actions of a single person, speaking for themselves.”
“I would also like to say a public thank you to Senator Lori Den Hartog who was so very gracious and understanding when I called her to express my personal dismay and that of the college over the actions of this one person,” Browning wrote. “Thank you Senator. We are here, as your community college, and have been very proud of the work we do to help our students reach success on their journeys to wherever it is they choose.”
The remaining members of the College of Western Idaho board are soliciting candidates for Baylon’s spot. Those interested in the open seat who live in mid-Meridian, Kuna or the portions of Nampa that are within Zone 3 should contact the board at trustees@cwi.edu. Candidate applications will be accepted until March 25, and the trustees will vote on a new trustee during the April 8 regular board meeting.
“The board will be focused on identifying someone from Zone 3 who is committed to upholding the values and ethics that we as an institution and a board hold ourselves to,” Board Chair Molly Lenty stated in a press release. “We are deeply dedicated to the very important work of advancing the college and to serving our students and communities here in the Treasure Valley.”
Vander Woude did not respond to an email request for comment. Den Hartog told the Statesman Monday afternoon she did not know what prompted Baylon’s post and her “strong feelings,” but that she hadn’t requested Baylon’s resignation or attempted to intervene in any way.
This story has been updated with comments from Sen. Lori Den Hartog.
This story was originally published March 8, 2021 at 2:38 PM.
