Education in Wyoming

Legislature continues to seek wins in culture wars, does little for education.

Guns back in schools? House committee says ‘yes’.

House Bill 172, “Repeal gun free zones and preemption amendment,” has passed the House Judiciary Committee with a 8-1 vote on Jan. 20. Laramie’s Ken Chestek, the sole Democrat on the panel, was the lone dissent.

The act would allow concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms into any public school, including elementary and secondary school facilities, as well as public colleges and university athletic events that do not sell alcoholic beverages. On Friday, the number of public commenters opposed to the bill far outnumbered those who spoke in favor of it.

Chestek offered a comparatively mild amendment that would require an armed person to notify school district personnel they were carrying and what type of weapon they were carrying. That motion died without discussion for lack of a second.

Vague, misleading bill on laundry list of Right Wing ‘straw men’ mystifies educators The Freedom Caucus wants to crack down on what it claims are “discriminatory” educational requirements at the University of Wyoming.

House Bill 147 would prohibit schools, colleges and the University of Wyoming from “engaging in” diversity, equity and inclusion activities and from offering courses that “promote” the concept of institutional discrimination.

Another bill, Senate File 103 ,would forbid UW from requiring any course that discusses the connection between “contemporary American society” and a laundry list of Right Wing grievances — including “critical theory” and “whiteness” but also “unconscious bias,” “microaggressions” and “systemic racism.” 

UW would still be able to host courses that discuss these topics, but they must in no way be required for graduation.

HB 147, was introduced and heard by the House Education Committee Jan. 15. The 9-0 unanimous vote is unsurprising as legislative leaders cut representatives not ideologically aligned with the Freedom Caucus from the committee specifically.

“Institutional discrimination” bill advances out of committee Education officials, a UW student and an LGBTQ+ advocate testified HB 147 could or would have a “chilling effect” on classrooms by failing to clearly state what it was prohibiting and leaving teachers afraid to discuss certain topics.

The bill forbids government agencies — including the University of Wyoming, community colleges and public schools — from “engaging in” any program, or requiring any training, or promoting any policy that meets the bill’s own definition of DEI.

The bill states that a program, activity or policy qualifies as DEI if it “promotes differential or preferential treatment of individuals or classifies individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity or national origin.”

The definition found in HB147 matches how conservatives typically describe DEI programs and goals.

HB147 also forbids UW and other schools from teaching about “institutional discrimination.”

Education officials, representing the Wyoming School Boards Association and the Wyoming Education Association, highlighted a few specific issues with the language of the bill.

School districts could hire uncertified teachers, administrators. House Bill 100, “K-12 uncertified personnel,” would allow the employment of teachers, administrators and others without a certification or permit issued by the state’s Professional Teaching Standards Board. It would require employees without such certification to obtain a background check.

Rep. Ocean Andrew, R-Laramie, sponsored HB 100 with 12 co-sponsors, many aligned with the far-right Freedom Caucus.

Education officials blame the struggle to hire enough personnel on stagnant salaries, declining enrollment in teaching programs and other workforce issues.

The measure “…completely diminishes the professionalism of educators and will significantly negatively impact student performance (and) is not the answer,” said the Wyoming Education Association (WEA), an educator advocacy group with more than 6,000 members.

‘Homeschool Freedom Act’

Currently, a homeschool must meet the same basic requirements as a public educational program. Homeschooling parents or administrators must submit a curriculum to their local board of trustees annually showing the program complies with state requirements.

House Bill 46 substitutes a meaningless requirement to “ensure a curriculum is administered to pupils in the program that complies with the requirements.”

Partisan school board races

School board elections in Wyoming are nominally nonpartisan. However, Laramie is among a growing number of communities where informal “conservative” and “progressive” candidate slates have been offered, including in 2024.

Senate File 98, “School board trustees-party affiliation,” makes school board campaigns partisan by requiring candidates to put their party affiliation on the ballot.

School cellphone ban

Well, sort of a ban. Senate File 21, “Ban on cell phone use in schools,” The bill relies on local control with Wyoming districts required to adopt policies prohibiting cellphone use in classrooms.

The passage of SF 21 would put Wyoming among nearly 20 states that have passed laws or enacted policies that either ban or restrict students’ use of cellphones or recommend local districts enact such policies.

Cellphones are outright banned from use at Laramie Middle School under the banner of “Away for the Day.” Laramie High School prohibits cellphone use during “instructional time” but allows their use before school, during passing time between classes, in the cafeteria and after school.

More charter schools

Calls for school choice has included a push for more charter schools. The aim is to give families more schooling options that fit their needs. A 2023 bill created a new authorizing board for Wyoming charter schools, which began reviewing applications that year.

Eight charter schools currently operate in Wyoming, including three schools the board has since authorized. Opponents question the schools’ transparency and accountability, which receive public funding but are often subject to fewer regulations regarding curricula and rules.

House Bill 94, “Charter school authorization-amendments,” removes the cap on the number of charter schools the board may authorize. Rep. Andrew sponsored HB 94 with 17 co-sponsors. The bill could require the Legislature to take more money from the Public School Foundation Program Account in coming years for new charter schools, according to the fiscal note from the Legislative Service Office.

Legislature advances transgender sports bans

Transgender bans in sport is back in the Legislature’s sights, with at least two bills aiming to widen the ban passed in 2023.

The Senate Education Committee voted 4-1 to advance Senate File 44 on Jan. 17. Transgender athletes would be banned from intercollegiate events involving the University of Wyoming or any of the state’s community colleges.

Sen. Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie) cast the sole dissenting vote, arguing it wasn’t the role of government to mandate parameters for athletic competition.

Sen. Wendy Schuler (R-Evanston), the education committee’s chair sponsored the bill.

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Want to know more? Check out these resources:

ACLU of Wyoming - general site

Wyoming Association of School Boards - general site

Wyoming Education Association - general site

Wyoming Education Association - join here

Ignite Wyoming - general site (Program of the Wyoming School Boards Association)