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The Purple Zone
Welcome to The Purple Zone (formerly Our Kids Our Schools).
Bridging the Gap between Public Policy, Practice & People.
The Purple Zone explores what it really means to align how we govern, how we educate, and how we show up for our communities.
Hosted by Alexis — a PhD student in public policy and administration, and longtime educator and advocate for kids, communities, and the systems that shape our lives. This podcast connects the dots between policy and practice, without the politics or platitudes.
It’s about naming what often goes unsaid — and making space for a more honest, human approach to systems that impact all of us.
How systems shape our communities, from policy on paper to action in practice. + Thinking Out Loud as a PhD Student
The Purple Zone
When Policy Meets a Viral Moment: Inside Idaho’s HB 41 (Flags & Schools Bill)
How does a bill actually move through a legislature — not in textbooks, but in real life?
In this episode of The Purple Zone, Alexis takes a deep dive into House Bill 41, Idaho’s 2025 “flags and schools” law, a bill that unexpectedly became tied to the now-viral West Ada classroom incident and sparked national debate about patriotism, symbolism, and expression in schools.
But instead of reacting to the headlines, we’re stepping back and dissecting HB 41 through one of the most influential theories in public policy: the Multiple Streams Framework.
Alexis sits down with the bill’s sponsor, Representative Ted Hill, to unpack how HB 41 traveled from idea → draft → committee → law, and how a viral moment altered the trajectory in ways no one anticipated.
Together, they explore:
- How the “problem” of flags in classrooms was defined — and redefined
- What policy options were on the table before the 2025 session even began
- How the West Ada sign incident transformed a local issue into a statewide flashpoint (The Everyone is Welcome Here Sign Topic)
- Why Idaho’s political climate made the bill’s momentum almost inevitable
- How media attention shaped not just perception, but implementation
- And whether the viral moment created the “policy window” that pushed HB 41 across the finish line
This episode isn’t about litigating the bill.
It’s about understanding the mechanics of how real policy happens: through the collision of problem definitions, political climates, ready-made solutions, and unexpected focusing events.
If you’ve ever wondered how a symbolic bill becomes a statewide law, or why certain ideas rise while others fade, this case study of HB 41 is a masterclass in policymaking in the modern era.
This is The Purple Zone — where policy, practice, & people meet.
Let’s jump in.
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Send Alexis an email with guest requests, ideas, or potential collaboration.
email@thealexismorgan.com
Find great resources, info on school communities, and other current projects regarding public policy:
https://www.thealexismorgan.com