Topic
Education
Stay informed on Montana’s schools and universities. Discover news on K–12 reforms, board decisions, campus developments, and statewide policies.
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- Montana State University Satellite Reaches Orbit After Delayed Launch, Awaits First Contact
- MSU’s New Indoor Athletic Center Opens to Community Groups
- ‘The Revenant’ Author Michael Punke Addresses MSU Freshmen on Character, Challenges
Submissions Open for 2025 Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest
Inspiring Young Artists to Honor Montana’s Law Enforcement Through Creativity
Montana Moves Closer to Official Collegiate Shooting Sports
Resolution Aims to Bring Collegiate Shooting Teams, Scholarships, and Economic Growth to Montana’s Campuses
Did Kalispell Public Schools Board and Employees Violate Montana Code of Ethics?
Kalispell Education Association Union President Lynne Rider organized KEA union candidate endorsement forum on school property and using school resources
The Other Side of the Montana Constitution
Montana’s original constitution, adopted in 1889, contained important safeguards against cronyism and excessive taxes, spending, and debt.
Montana Schools Head Gathers All Sides in Billings
Who would gather parents, superintendents and administrators, school board members, union leaders and members, legislators, and community members all in one room and hand a microphone around? No one is that crazy. Yet last Thursday night, that is exactly what happened. Only a humble and gracious person could have a room full of all these…
Missoula School Board Avoids Curriculum Concerns, Discusses Seating New Board Members
Last Tuesday’s meeting of the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees came to order at 6pm with all trustees present except for Trustee Michael Gehl. Following the pledge of allegiance, the board approved the minutes of the April 12th meeting during which a parent had read the contents of a homework assignment given out by a…
State Superintendent Questions Curriculum Standards at Missoula Schools After Student Sexual Orientation Questionnaire Surfaces
In a call from State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Wednesday night, the head of the Office of Public Instruction told Free Missoula News that her office was notified of the sexual orientation questionnaire shared by a Missoula sex education teacher at Sentinel High School and that the matter is being investigated by her office. Arntzen said…
UPDATED: School Board Notified of Inappropriate Sexual Orientation Questionnaire Distributed by Missoula Teacher
UPDATED (04/13/2021): Post updated to reflect comments from State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen whose office is investigating the situation. A Missoula sexual education teacher distributed a handout titled “Questions for Exploring Sexual Orientation” to Sentinel High School students, according to parents and confirmed by school officials. The questions on the handout asked students to consider changing…
Missoula School Board Adopts Controversial Curriculum Policy
The March 29th Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees meeting began at 6pm starting with The Pledge of Allegiance. Nine trustees were in attendance with Mike Gehl calling in via Zoom. Approximately 35 members of the community were present in the audience for the in-person meeting. Public comment for non-agenda items began with a…
Rossiter: My Picks for Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees
Within a few weeks we will be getting ballots in the mail for a May vote that includes the opportunity to elect some new people to the Missoula County School Board. Recently I had the opportunity to interact with six of the candidates running in 2022. Each is a parent, and all are running because…
WATCH: Missoula Schools Trustee Declines Mask, Chair Suspends Meeting for “Spreading Germs”
On Tuesday night, the regular meeting of the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees was suspended by board chair Diane Lorenzen after trustee Mike Gehl declined to wear a mask. An agenda item that was set for discussion was Montana High School Association sports eligibility issues, which the chair mentioned was “popular with…
Lower Student COVID Rate in Mask Optional Schools, Billings Mask Lawsuit, State Data Shows
UPDATED (1/6/2022): Post updated to include letter from Billings teachers union president Douglas Robison discouraging educators from contributing statements to the lawsuit regarding the negative effects of masks on students. Parents in Billings and the non-profit Stand Up Montana filed their 200-page mask lawsuit against Billings Public Schools and Elysian Schools at the end of…
Over 500 Montanans Sign “Vote of Confidence” Letter Supporting State Superintendent
Over 500 Montana signatories including school board trustees from Flathead, Lincoln, Missoula, and Ravalli counties and two-dozen elected officials have signed on to a “Vote of Confidence” letter supporting Montana’s head of schools, State Superintendent of Instruction Elsie Arntzen. “We write to refute the unauthorized “no-confidence” letter recently sent to you by certain school superintendents…
Per MT Law, Vaccinating Children Without Parental Consent Can Result in Civil Liability or Criminal Prosecution
This past Saturday, Lewis and Clark Public Health Department advertised a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at East Helena Public High School aimed at children aged 5-11-years-old. The ad indicated that proof of the child’s name and age was not required and children need only be accompanied by a “caregiver.” How do government employees at a clinic…
University of Montana Unlawfully Discriminates Against Unvaccinated Athletes Requiring Masks and Testing
The UM Athletics Department appears to believe NCAA “recommendations” supersede Montana State Law.
Missoula Schools: Masks Stay Until Children Vaccinated
The Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees met last night to make decisions regarding mask mandates including the terms required to be fulfilled before the school board will allow children to be unmasked. The “COVID-19 Task Force” subcommittee, appointed by the board of the trustees, recommends lifting the mask mandate after the following requirements…
Passing the Buck on Responsibility
“Lawyers are a useful tool. When you feel like you are in a bind, talking to the right lawyer can be such a breath of fresh air. It can be a conversation from which you walk away saying “Phew! I have options I didn’t even realize I had.” Life feels better with options. Life can…
Judge Marks Denies Halt to School Masks, Parents to Consider Appeal to Supreme Court
District Court Judge Jason Marks denied parents request for injunctive relief against Missoula County Public School mask mandates on Friday, issuing a 16-page order that said the parents did not provide sufficient evidence that rights to privacy or dignity were being violated. Judge Marks also said that injunctive relief was denied because parents did not…