Opinion: Doom merchants spread false narrative about Idaho preschool development grant

The vitriol that was omnipresent during the 2021 legislative session in Idaho resulted in several unnecessary casualties. Among the most egregious of those casualties was a bill that would support Idaho’s families and early educators.

This appropriations bill would allocate already-approved federal grant dollars to Idaho’s child care providers and early learning educators, provide collaboration opportunities and create a strategic planning mechanism in rural communities guided by parents, religious leaders, policymakers and businesses. It’s a bottom-up solution that works for Idaho. And while the appropriation has another chance for consideration with stricter requirements and modifications, funding for early childhood education is again at risk because of lies pumped out from an extremist lobbying group in an attempt to stay relevant.

Scare tactics work. The wholly false narrative pushed by a singular lobbying organization suggesting that the Idaho Association for the Education of Young Children is driven by an agenda that runs counter to Idaho’s values is provocative, inciting, scary. I know this narrative to be false because I have been fortunate to lead Idaho AEYC for more than a decade.

The calculated messaging used by this group was specifically designed to scare families, businesses and policymakers into believing investing in early childhood education is a negative for Idaho. Hostile messaging was applied to this appropriation with trigger words to incite fear like “critical race theory,” “social justice ideology” and “indoctrination,” sent to policymakers in newsletters featuring dark red and black lettering with images of flames. Any astute lawmaker or constituent can clearly see this for the inflammatory rhetoric that it is. But why?

Reputable, nonpartisan nonprofit

Idaho AEYC is nonpartisan, 501 (c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving the quality and access to child care and raising awareness about the importance of early education. We have been active in Idaho for over 20 years serving as a resource for parents, early learning professionals and policymakers. Idaho AEYC is a separate entity from its national affiliate. We are governed by our own board, made up of Idahoans from across the state. Furthermore, the most recent fabrications about funding going to a California-based non-profit called the Early Learning Institute are entirely — you guessed it — false. We simply have a program with a similar name. The two are completely unrelated.

Broad support

This grant was written by Idahoans in consultation with the governor’s office and the State Board of Education and was supported by the Trump administration. We also appreciate the support of U.S. Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo for this grant and our efforts to promote early learning across Idaho.

Decisions made at local level

Funding for local collaboratives in the initial 2020 grant required local early learning collaboratives to identify a 30% match, which could be in-kind or direct funding. This contributes to the local buy-in needed to sustain support for programming after grant funds have expired. Denying these funds cheats these communities of the opportunity to grow and sustain efforts that children and families are currently relying upon. This appropriation is about empowering local communities to determine the best system that works for their unique needs and families.

Doom merchants are driving a false narrative. The more Idahoans who are scared, the more we feed into their cycle of toxic pessimism. Idaho AEYC was the scapegoat this time, but the real victims are the Idaho families and children who will be left out as the local early learning programs they depend on will be eliminated. Who’s next?

Idaho’s elected officials know better than to believe the misinformation being shared by these naysayers. Thousands of people from across the state have reached out to express their dismay that early childhood education funding is being cast as a negative for the state.

In 2018, a statewide opinion poll conducted by Moore Research indicated that early childhood education is a unifying issue for Idahoans. Eighty-five percent of voters and 91% of parents with children 5 or younger believe access to quality, affordable early childhood education resources is important. I encourage our elected officials to represent the people of Idaho, not special interest lobbying groups desperate to remain relevant. Our kids are depending on your support.