Boise School District trustee chides Idaho governor in profane post over anti-trans bill
A first-year Boise School District trustee — who also is a student — aimed a profanity-laden post on social media at Gov. Brad Little after the second-term Republican signed a law Tuesday that bans gender-affirming care for Idaho youths who identify as transgender and non-binary.
Shiva Rajbhandari, 18, a senior at Boise High School sworn into his elected role on the school board in September, criticized Little for his decision on Twitter late Tuesday.
“F--- you @GovernorLittle,” Rajbhandari wrote. “I pray you live a long life so you can bear witness to the pain you’ve unleashed on Idaho’s children and families today. When you do die though, I’m pissing on your grave.”
By Thursday, the tweet had garnered more than 600 likes, 550 comments and 160 retweets.
Reached by the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday, Rajbhandari said he did not intend to offend anyone but was “unapologetic in my commitment in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community” and against Little’s action.
“No, I don’t regret standing with trans and non-binary youth,” Rajbhandari said in a phone interview. “Generally, profanity is not a good way to advance civil discourse. But the Legislature has made pretty clear that diplomacy is ineffective at solving the problem — the problem of hatred and intolerance concerning an entire sect of Idahoans just based on who they are and who they love.”
Little’s signature on House Bill 71 makes Idaho the 10th U.S. state to ban gender-affirming care, according to previous Statesman reporting. Idaho physicians who provide such care to transgender minors could face up to 10 years in prison for violating the law.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho said Wednesday that it plans to sue to block the law.
Rajbhandari said he left a voicemail with the governor’s office last week asking that Little veto the bill. He did not receive a response, Rajbhandari said.
The governor’s office did not return a Statesman request for comment about Rajbhandari’s tweet Wednesday.
The Idaho State Police provides security detail for Little. The agency investigates potential threats to the governor, when they are deemed credible and could be prosecuted as a crime.
“The Idaho State Police is aware of the tweet, and we take matters of safety for public officials seriously,” ISP spokesperson Aaron Snell told the Statesman.
Rajbhandari emphasized to the Statesman that he doesn’t speak for the school board, and his Twitter account represents his individual views, which he also includes in his platform bio. He said he abides by all school board policies, including the district’s code of ethics, and does not think his tweet at Little represents a possible violation.
School district spokesperson Dan Hollar told the Statesman the district is investigating.
“The Boise School District administration and Board of Trustees are well aware of (Tuesday’s) Twitter post by Shiva Rajbhandari,” Hollar said by email. “The Board of Trustees is currently in the process of considering possible next steps.”
Messages left by the Statesman on Wednesday evening with Boise Board of Trustees President Dave Wagers did not receive a response.
On Thursday afternoon, Wagers released a statement apologizing to Little on behalf of the district for Rajbhandari’s language. The board president went on to state that Rajbhandari “strayed from the values of respect, dignity and teamwork” that the district holds dear, and in which school board trustees are expected to fulfull in their capacity.
“The board of the Boise School District does not condone, approve of, or endorse the language that Shiva Rajbhandari used in his Twitter account,” Wagers said. “We … would like all to know that Mr. Rajbhandari’s choice of words is in no way reflective of district leadership other than himself.”
Rajbhandari, serving a 2-year term on the school board for the district he still attends, told the Statesman Wednesday that he received a few critical emails and tweets in response to his post. He said he welcomes individuals who take issue with his position to have a conversation with him personally, and is open to phone, email and scheduled virtual meetings.
Rajbhandari said he understands people might have concerns about his approach and the language used in the post. Still, he’s unwavering in standing up against the law and Little’s decision to sign a bill championed by the Republican supermajority in the Legislature.
“You can’t legislate trans people out of existence, but you certainly can make their lives difficult, and bring tragedy to communities and families, and that’s what I think this legislation does,” Rajbhandari said. “I think this should really be a wake-up call to Idahoans that they get the government that they vote for, and that we all need to be more involved in state and local politics.
“We will never, ever back down on trans and non-binary youth. You don’t back down when people you love are on the line,” he said.
This story was originally published April 5, 2023 at 7:59 PM.
