School board sends letter to legislatures

Dear Representative Winter and Senator Cooper and fellow members of the Wyoming Legislature:

I hope this finds you well. As the legislative session is now in full swing, the HSCSD#1 Board of Trustees has held a work session to discuss several bills currently under consideration, specifically in relation to education. After taking public comment from numerous patrons, a clear theme emerged: many of our community members believe that Wyoming can do better when it comes to these proposed legislative changes. The voices we heard in the room echoed a concern that decisions affecting the future of our students and schools are being made without sufficient input from those who are closest to the classrooms.

As you know, Wyoming has a proud tradition of local control. Our state has long adhered to the principle that decisions should be made as close to those affected as possible, and the “Wyoming way” is one that emphasizes the importance of local governance. When it comes to education, the best decisions are those made by teachers, parents, and communities, not through sweeping state mandates that fail to account for the diverse needs of our students.

While we respect the opportunity to vote for and support our state legislators, it is important to recognize that with only two elected officials representing our community, resulting in legislation that is to fit a community like Jackson, the same way it fits Thermopolis. The sheer volume of legislative 2025 bills dilutes the input we can provide. This session alone has seen over 500 bills introduced, with more than 100 of them impacting education. It is clear that when bills are debated and moved through the legislature at this pace, it becomes nearly impossible to ensure meaningful input from constituents. Please allow us to share perspectives from our recent work session that involved the public.

HB 100: Professional Training of Educators

This bill suggests that the professional training of educators is not important. However, teaching is a highly specialized profession that requires a deep understanding of child development, subject matter expertise, and pedagogical skills. To view teaching as anything less than a highly skilled profession is disrespectful to those who have dedicated years to their craft. While we recognize there are uniquely talented individuals with valuable experience and attributes that would make them highly successful in the classroom, this is not the norm. The state has mechanisms in place to ensure individuals like this can be recruited for the benefit of students.

Wyoming already offers two well-established pathways for alternative certification, allowing individuals who are passionate about education to enter the profession through proper channels. This bill, however, would suggest that an 18-year-old with only a background check could be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching students. To put this in perspective, would we allow an 18-year-old with no training to drive a commercial-size semi? Would we let them administer medication as a nurse without proper training and certification? Teaching is not an experiment, and we cannot afford to risk the education and well-being of our children by lowering the standards that ensure their success.

HB 172: Concealed Carry in Schools

As board members, we agree to uphold both our state and national constitutions, and take that oath very seriously. We believe strongly, unanimously in our 2nd amendment as a board. Eliminating soft targets and student safety are priorities. We would consider a policy to train willing staff that would have access to a firearm through a biometric safe in the event there were no other options. There are some primary problems with the current concealed carry bill. Rarely are community members in our building during the day. Allowing them to concealed carry does not make the building safer. There is already legislation allowing districts to arm staff through proper training and policy adoption. At events, when patrons are numerous and emotions can be high, who confronts the angry fan we all know carries? Our district recently completed a full district safety audit and is making improvements to structures and practices. Again, we would ask for local control and to do what was asked of us by our electorate. There has been considerable testimony on HB0172. There is substantial community opposition, while much of the support comes from special interest groups.

HB 198 & HB 199: Expansion of Educational Savings Accounts

Wyoming has already taken significant steps in offering parents the ability to choose home-schooling or online schooling for their children years ago. Just last year, the state launched an Educational Savings Account (ESA) program, which has not yet been utilized or evaluated. Moving to expand this program before its effectiveness has been measured could have unintended consequences. Patrons in Wyoming are proud of the education we provide and do not feel that we should follow the example of states like Arizona and Michigan, where school choice programs have led to increased privatization and rising costs without improving educational outcomes. Additionally, we must ask: who are we trying to emulate, and is this the model we want for Wyoming’s schools? A large concern for this board which includes parents who have homeschooled students is, “why would we send taxpayer public money to out of state institutions?”

We believe in the importance of accountability for the choices people make. Parents who choose to homeschool, send their children to private schools, or pursue other educational options should bear some responsibility for the financial impact of those decisions. Diverting funds from public schools disproportionately affects the majority of students who still rely on public education.

HB 200: Teachers Facing Legal Action for Not Posting Resources

This bill limits local control. We have a process in place for transparency of curricular materials that includes parents. This board and district are transparency advocates. However, this bill would require teachers to post every resource they use on the district website, a proposal that raises significant concerns about its practicality and effectiveness. Teachers are already held to high professional standards, and the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) has the authority to revoke a teacher’s license for using inappropriate or harmful materials. Additionally, parents already have the ability to request access to any materials used in the classroom and can opt their children out of any learning that they find objectionable.

Requiring teachers to post every resource, particularly spontaneous materials used in the moment to assist a student would create an unnecessary administrative burden without adding value. How many teachers have been disciplined by PTSB for inappropriate materials? This could take valuable time away from teaching and diminish the teacher-student relationship. The responsibility for engaging with teachers about the materials their children are learning should remain with parents. This bill shifts that responsibility to teachers without providing the necessary support or funding to maintain such a system, further complicating the already demanding role of educators. Many teachers may limit resources needed by students, simply to protect themselves from penalties.

SF 090: Patriotic Organizations in Schools

The district values patriotism and recognizes the importance of exposing students to patriotic organizations and ideals. We are open to having such organizations present to students, as long as the content aligns with our educational values and goals. However, we believe it is important to limit the frequency of interruptions to classroom instruction. The district reserves the right to deny access to any organizations that may disrupt the learning process or that do not align with our values of patriotism.

In conclusion, we respectfully ask that you carefully consider the concerns raised by the patrons and educators in our community. Wyoming’s education system has long been one of the best in the country, and we believe it is essential to maintain local control and ensure that decisions about education are made by those who understand the unique needs of our students. The bills under consideration, while well-intentioned, may not fully reflect the values and priorities of our community.

We are hopeful that as our representatives, you will stand by the Wyoming way of local control. Consider the impact they might have on students, not on politics, and allow those of us who have children and grandchildren in our schools decide our course of actions; they have led to some pretty tremendous results thus far.

Respectfully,

Justin Budd-HSCSD#1 Board Chairman,

Jennifer Axtell-Board Clerk and

HSCSD#1 Board of Trustees