Coeur d'Alene Students Pick Washington Portrait
Students in the Coeur d'Alene School District voted to choose a George Washington portrait for classroom display under a new Idaho law.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Primary Education
Students at Sorensen Magnet School of the Arts & Humanities voted by stamping ink dots beneath their favorite of three George Washington portraits. The Lansdowne Portrait (1796) won by a 6-to-3 margin, and framed copies will be displayed in classrooms across the district.
Why it matters
The vote follows a 2026 amendment to Idaho Code Section 33-1602 by Senate Bill 1336, which encourages schools to display a portrait of the first president. District officials said the vote was meant to engage students in the democratic process.
The Lansdowne Portrait, painted in 1796, beat two rival portraits by a 6-to-3 margin in a ballot held at Sorensen Magnet School. The total number of voters across the district has not been reported.
The players
Debbie Critchfield
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction, who selected the four George Washington portraits offered to schools.
John Gannon
Democratic state representative from Boise who voted against the bill but said he had no objection to displaying Washington's portrait in classrooms.
The details
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield selected four George Washington portraits for schools to consider, and district leaders narrowed those to three. Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, was one of 12 state representatives who voted against the bill, though he said he had no objection to displaying Washington's portrait in classrooms.
Timeline
Earlier in 2026: Senate Bill 1336 amended Idaho Code Section 33-1602.
Nov. 3, 2026: Students voted at Sorensen Magnet School.
By 5 p.m. Nov. 3, 2026: The Lansdowne Portrait was announced as the winner.
Culture Shift
The vote reflects Idaho's 2026 amendment to Idaho Code Section 33-1602, which encourages K-5 and civics classrooms to display a portrait of the first president. It shows how a state civics mandate is being translated into a local, student-involved choice.
Framed copies of the Lansdowne Portrait will soon hang in classrooms across the Coeur d'Alene School District. Families in the district will see the portrait displayed in K-5 and civics classrooms as the state encourages.
The takeaway
Civic traditions like portrait displays can be shaped by student participation, turning a state directive into a local learning experience. Parents can ask their child's school how classroom civics displays are chosen.
Further reading
Explore more Primary Education coverage from Coeur d'Alene schools.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Coeur d'Alene Press.
