Idaho Parents for Educational Choice
...when parents (rightfully) make
the decision for their children's
individual educational needs,
great things happen, for everyone...
Get to Know Us
Even though Tom Harrison and Carolyn Harrison, Co-Founders of
Idaho Parents for Educational Choice, have disparate hereditary
backgrounds, as evidenced by the below write-ups, after 25 years of working
together and starting four companies, the IPEC "adventure" seemed like a piece of cake.
Not so!
IPEC Leadership
It's All in the Genes!
Tom is the great, great, great grandson of
William Henry Harrison, American military hero
and ninth President of the United States.
Carolyn, on the other hand, is the second cousin,
twice removed, of Robert LeRoy Parker, better
known as "Butch Cassidy", an American train
and bank robber and the leader of a gang of
criminals known as the "Wild Bunch" in the old West.
Even with our "strong", yet patently different, gene pools, even robbing banks looks easy from this vantage point,
after two years of tediously trying to help parents help their children attain a better education!
IPEC Goals and Objectives
IPEC is a parent-administered education-choice organization committed to enhancing the K-12 education system in the State of Idaho by supporting parent-choice programs, where
"the money follows the kids."
IPEC promotes and assists in communication among the State's children-first" parents and organizations; goal: one cohesive, united voice.
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IPEC supports legislation that restores parents' fundamental right to have access to the education funding that is rightfully theirs.
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IPEC supports legislation that votes down, summarily and recurrently, such programs as critical race theory (CRT), the 1619 Project, social justice and social emotional learning (SEL) programs, together with other offensive indoctrination programs, books, and other literature that are permeating Idaho's school system and adversely influencing our children.
I am a ranch girl from Idaho Falls, whose Dad, Ralph Steele, was in the House of Representatives for five terms. During his tenure, he was very involved in the State of Idaho's education programs, especially the Idaho Reading Indicator phonetics program.
Knowing Mom and Dad, they would be appalled at the diversity programming and indoctrination that is occurring in our schools today.
A true, and related, story: Tom and I knew we had to get involved when the grandson of one of our dear friends in an West Ada County middle school in Boise came home from his first day of school with a questionnaire that asked him what pronoun he wanted to be associated with during the school year. This young man was quickly taken out of the public school system and transferred to a Christian school. The system is now double-dipping into his parents' resources, but they feel strongly that they can do without the boat they were going to buy, in exchange for the betterment of their child's future.
We knew that teaching the gender identity theory to this young man is, at the least, inappropriate and the role of the parents, if they so choose. Given the country's and State of Idaho's low education rankings, teachers should stay with the tried and true elements of education, so our precious children can compete on the world stage.
Lastly, we are the proud parents of a wonderful daughter and grandparents to her three lovely little characters we call our "grandkids". Our daughter attended, and her children are currently attending, a Christian school, where they pledge allegiance to the flag every day and thank the dear Lord for the wonderful country in which we live.
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So, involved we are and working to bring parents into the fray in support of their children's rights to the best education that suits their individual needs.
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As we go forward, we welcome one and all to support our kids along with us. Call us; we're interested in your encouragement, as well as your ideas, insights, and support!
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God Bless,
Carolyn Harrison.
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"At a very early age, I was blessed to have two parents who considered education the single most important ingredient in raising a child.
Throughout my Father's career (and Mom's homemaker/child-rearing calling), whenever we moved and looked for new homes, it was the school district, not the real estate values, that became the single most important element in their decision-making process.
To this day, my parents' passion for education has been instilled in me and to always try and make a difference in our education system, every day.
Carolyn and I formed "Idaho Parents for Educational Choice" for that very reason:
making positive education-related
changes for our children,
where change
is needed.
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Please join us in bringing back the days when the subjects of reading, mathematics, science, language, and history were the order of the day, not the ill-chosen and unsuitable identity politics and social justice ideologies that are seeping into our educational institutions today!
Like Carolyn said, our kids deserve better than what they are currently getting from the public school system!
Tom Harrison.
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