Orlean Koehle

      Orlean Koehle grew up on a farm in rural Idaho, was chosen Miss Idaho Falls in 1963 and graduated from Brigham Young University. She then taught speech, drama and journalism in Idaho Falls. Since 2002, she has been serving as the State President of Eagle Forum of California, which holds an annual all-day education conference, with the Eagle Forum's national president, Phyllis Schlafly, as the special guest speaker. Orlean is an elected member of the Sonoma County Republican Central Committee, on the board for the Sonoma County Pro-life Council; and is a leader for Boy Scouts of America. Last summer she was elected President of the Sonoma County Land Rights Coalition, a group of concerned citizens united to take a stand for property rights, which are under attack in their county. She is a former Vice President and newsletter editor of Santa Rosa Republican Women Federated.
      Orlean is a substitute teacher in the Santa Rosa public schools, which keeps her aware of what is going on in education today. She and Eagle Forum led a successful two-year battle against a liberal, pro-homosexual program called "Week of Diversity" and an offensive secret assembly called "Sex and Stuff" that took place at the Santa Rosa High School in 1999. With the help of Brad Dacus and the Pacific Justice Institute, a threatened law suit, a huge petition drive, and national news coverage, the School Board finally formed a policy which prohibits any future such assemblies from taking place. The policy also demands that for any future Days of Diversity, there must be a balanced format, with just as many conservative speakers as liberal. Amazingly, the schools are no longer interested in putting on such events. Orlean is a published author of two books and many articles. Her most recent book, called The Golden Rule School and its book of quotations, is an attempt to bring back character education and morality into the public schools.
      Orlean has spoken on many radio programs and for conservative groups in California and several other western states. Because of her many years of volunteer service to her community and state, Orlean was recently honored by the Pacific Justice Institute as their 2006 recipient of the "Faith and Community Award." She and her husband Kurt are the parents of six children and three grandchildren (and another expected any day now). Kurt is an administrator at Sonoma State University. They reside on acreage outside of Santa Rosa.