.png)
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
Anti-Teacher Union Bill Breakdown (HB 516) & The System Impact
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This episode breaks down a new Idaho law impacting teachers unions, but more importantly, what it reveals about how policy actually works in practice. This isn’t just about unions. It’s about systems, processes, and what happens when infrastructure quietly shifts underneath schools.
Segment Breakdown:
1. Radiator Capping (process shift): Bypassing the normal legislative process changes how policy gets vetted, debated, and understood.
2. What HB 516 Actually Does: It does not ban unions, it restricts how districts interact with them.
3. Payroll Deduction Ban: Districts can no longer deduct union dues from paychecks.
4. Broad Definition of Union Activity: The law creates gray areas, making it unclear what qualifies, thus increasing risk for districts.
5. Representation Still Exists--With Conditions: Unions can still represent teachers, but now with added administrative burden and reimbursement requirements.
6. Majority Requirement (Not New): The 50% + 1 threshold remains, but verification and compliance expectations are tighter.
7. Facility Use & District Partnerships: Unclear guidance will likely lead districts to act more cautiously.
8. Who This Applies To: The law targets teachers unions specifically, not all unions.
9. Governor Little's Position: He signed the law, but raised concerns about overreach and ambiguity.
10. The Bigger Impact: This isn't just political, it affects infrastructure, trust, and the ability for systems to work together.
Find Alexis on Instagram and JOIN in the conversation: https://www.instagram.com/the_idaho_lady/
JOIN the convo on Substack & STAY up-to-date with emails and posts https://substack.com/@theidaholady?r=5katbx&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
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