High school teacher and students sue over Arkansas’ ban on critical race theory
Good afternoon. And what *** great day it is in Arkansas, the biggest, boldest, most conservative education reforms in our history, signed into law only two months into my first term and our first legislative session more than anything else. Education is how we invest in our future. It’s the seed we sow today, knowing that only our Children will have the opportunity to reap the harvest. Over the weekend, I heard *** story that crystallized this entire debate. It’s about *** little boy in Arkansas who like many other kids doesn’t fit neatly into the one size fits all model that our current system provides. The boy struggles with the host of learning disabilities. His parents hoped that their local school district would give him the resources he needed to thrive as required by law. But the opposite happened. The boy was bullied. He fell far behind academically and this happy, bright eyed boy became *** shell of his former self. Things reached *** breaking 0.2 years ago and the boy ran away from school. The administration never even realized he had left. He made his way to *** nearby highway and got into the car with *** stranger. Luckily that stranger was *** good person and took that little boy home. After that, the boy ran away *** second time, he was missing for two full hours before the school notified his parents. They called the police and the boy was found again before anything went terribly wrong. But then it happened *** third time and one of the boys bullies told him to go and die in *** ditch. And so he left the school to do that when he was found he was alone soaking wet, sobbing in *** ditch. He and his family had hit rock bottom. Thankfully, this story has *** happy ending. The boy’s parents, they scraped, they saved and they finally found enough money to put him in *** specialized school. He’s now doing fantastic. He’s making friends and he’s learning. But for every little boy whose parents can find *** way to send him to another school, there are hundreds who cannot. We’ve been failing them, not just in school but in life. And that is why we prioritized the Arkansas learns initiative right out of the gate. When I put my signature on this bill and make it law, the failed status quo will end. I’d like to give *** huge and special thanks to Senator Brianne Davis and Representative Brooks. They didn’t just introduce this bill. They worked countless and endless hours to advocate and answer questions from their colleagues, superintendents, school board members, teachers, students and parents and they delivered. I also want to thank Speaker Shepard and President Hester, as well as our House and Senate Education Committee chairs Brian Evans and Jane English. Without your leadership, we wouldn’t be standing here today. And of course another, thank you to secretarial Eva. You’re not just the guy who had to help write this bill. You’re also the guy who’s gonna get to put it into practice. Your work just got started. But based on what we’ve seen after these last few weeks, I have no doubt that you will rise to the challenge and get the job done. I also want to thank all of the members of the legislature who came together, who fought with us, who answered questions and got the job done because we care about the students and the kids in this state and they will be the true beneficiaries of all of your hard work. The beauty of our legislative process is that citizens everyday, hard working. Our Kansas can testify on behalf of bills they care about. Over the past few weeks, we heard *** lot of great testimony on Arkansas learns from all over our state. We heard from C J and Savannah to married teachers in South Arkansas. They talked about the struggles they face with their low salaries, squeezing their budget, thinking about part time jobs, considering leaving their profession entirely, they just couldn’t get the numbers to add up anymore. Two teachers like CJ and Savannah Arkansas Learns is *** lifeline. It raises the minimum teacher salary from 36,000 to 50,000 and gives every single teacher. I want to repeat that every single teacher in the state of Arkansas *** pay raise of at least $2,000. Arkansas will go from 48 in the nation for starting teachers salary all the way to the top five. We know that an excellent education starts with excellent teachers. Arkansas learns, gives our public schools the resources they need to attract and retain our great teachers. During the hearings, we also heard from parents, many have kids like the boy I mentioned who have struggled under Arkansas’s one size fits all. Model Erica Horn is one of them, *** public school parent with three Children, including two boys with autism. Erica knew her sons would need extra support at school but assumed she’d find it in the district that they lived in, but she was wrong once she realized the local school could not help her boys, Erica sold the family’s house and moved to an entirely new city, she would do anything to get her kids equality education. If the horns had simply been empowered to choose their kids school from *** suite of options, they would never have had to uproot their life. But under Arkansas’s current system, *** family zip code is often the only thing that determines whether their kids will get the education that they need to succeed. Arkansas learns ends that unfair practice with new education freedom accounts, parents will be able to send their kids to whatever school works best, whether it’s private, public parochial or home school. Some have said this defunds public schools. But let me be clear, all of the research shows that the exact opposite is true. Most families end up staying in their local school district. But when parents are empowered to choose all schools work harder to attract students competition breeds excellence. During testimony, we heard from students like 13 year old Carter in his local school district, he was falling behind his peers, especially in Reading. So Carter’s parents made tremendous sacrifices and home schooled him and he now reads above grade level. But far to Arkansas families can’t afford to make the same sacrifices for their own kids. Only 35% of our third graders can read at grade level that is simply unacceptable. Students enter elementary school learning to read and by the time they leave 3rd grade, they have to read, to learn. Arkansas Learns, takes this problem head on With *** massive investment in our public schools. 120 literacy coaches deployed throughout the state. $500 tutoring grants for kids who are still struggling the tools our kids need. So we can be sure that every single one reads at grade level. I’m proud of the legislation that we have fought to make sure, helps reward each of our students in this state. But as secretary illegal, likes to say this bill isn’t just about young kids. It’s *** comprehensive approach to all education from cradle to career, the career ready diploma program in Arkansas learns partners our schools with local employers giving students the skills they need for future success every our cans and will leave school ready to enter *** high paying field right after graduation, right into their community. And I’m proud that the bill I’m about to sign is the largest overhaul of our state’s education system in Arkansas history because it frankly could not get here soon enough. We’ve seen how the status quo condemns our Kansans to *** lifetime of poverty and we’re tired of sitting at the bottom of national education rankings. We know that if we don’t plant this seed today, then there will be nothing for our kids to reap down the line as *** product of Arkansas public schools. This fight is personal since I announced my run for governor, I’ve heard from so many Arkansas teachers, parents and students who are ready to change lives and there’s no better way to do that than by fixing our schools. That’s why I promised to be the education governor and that’s why I prioritized it on day one. And today, that’s why I’m proud to be delivering along with my partners and friends in the legislature on behalf of the people of Arkansas. Thank you for being here. God bless you guys. And God bless our great state. Thank you so much. Yeah. Mhm. Mhm. She seemed to be about me signing the bill. You can’t just.
High school teacher and students sue over Arkansas’ ban on critical race theory
A high school teacher and two students sued Arkansas on Monday over the state’s ban on critical race theory and “indoctrination” in public schools, asking a federal judge to strike down the restrictions as unconstitutional.The lawsuit by the teacher and students from Little Rock Central High School, site of the historic 1957 racial desegregation crisis, stems from the state’s decision last year that an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies would not count toward state credit.Video above: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs education bill into lawThe lawsuit argues the restrictions, which were among a number of education changes that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law last year, violate free speech protections under the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. “It absolutely chills free speech” and “discriminates on the basis of race,” the lawsuit said. “Indeed, defendants’ brazen attack on full classroom participation for all students in 2024 is reminiscent of the state’s brazen attack on full classroom participation for all students in 1957,” the lawsuit said. Arkansas and other Republican-led states in recent years have placed restrictions on how race in taught in the classroom, including prohibitions on critical race theory, an academic framework dating to the 1970s that centers on the idea that racism is embedded in the nation’s institutions. The theory is not a fixture of K-12 education, and Arkansas’ ban does not define what would be considered critical race theory or prohibited “indoctrination.” Tennessee educators filed a similar lawsuit last year challenging that state’s sweeping bans on teaching certain concepts of race, gender and bias in classroom.Arkansas’ restrictions mirror an executive order Sanders signed on her first day in office last year. The Republican governor defended the law and criticized the lawsuit.”In the state of Arkansas, we will not indoctrinate our kids and teach them to hate America or each other,” Sanders said in a statement. “It’s sad the radical left continues to lie and play political games with our kids’ futures.”Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blocked high schools in his state from teaching the AP African American Studies course. The College Board released the latest updated framework for the course in December, months after initial revisions prompted criticism the nonprofit was bowing to conservative backlash to the class.Arkansas education officials last year said the AP African American studies class couldn’t be part of the state’s advanced placement course offerings because it’s still a pilot program and hasn’t been vetted by the state yet to determine whether it complied with the law.Central High and the five other schools offering the class said they would continue doing so as a local elective. The class still counts toward a student’s GPA.The lawsuit is the second challenge against Sanders’ LEARNS Act, which also created a new school voucher program. The Arkansas Supreme Court in October rejected a challenge to the law that questioned the Legislature’s procedural vote that allowed it to take effect immediately.”The LEARNS Act has brought much-needed reforms to Arkansas. I have successfully defended (the law) from challenges before, and I am prepared to vigorously defend it again,” Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin said.
A high school teacher and two students sued Arkansas on Monday over the state’s ban on critical race theory and “indoctrination” in public schools, asking a federal judge to strike down the restrictions as unconstitutional.
The lawsuit by the teacher and students from Little Rock Central High School, site of the historic 1957 racial desegregation crisis, stems from the state’s decision last year that an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies would not count toward state credit.
Video above: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs education bill into law
The lawsuit argues the restrictions, which were among a number of education changes that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law last year, violate free speech protections under the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
“It absolutely chills free speech” and “discriminates on the basis of race,” the lawsuit said.
“Indeed, defendants’ brazen attack on full classroom participation for all students in 2024 is reminiscent of the state’s brazen attack on full classroom participation for all students in 1957,” the lawsuit said.
Arkansas and other Republican-led states in recent years have placed restrictions on how race in taught in the classroom, including prohibitions on critical race theory, an academic framework dating to the 1970s that centers on the idea that racism is embedded in the nation’s institutions. The theory is not a fixture of K-12 education, and Arkansas’ ban does not define what would be considered critical race theory or prohibited “indoctrination.”
Tennessee educators filed a similar lawsuit last year challenging that state’s sweeping bans on teaching certain concepts of race, gender and bias in classroom.
Arkansas’ restrictions mirror an executive order Sanders signed on her first day in office last year. The Republican governor defended the law and criticized the lawsuit.
“In the state of Arkansas, we will not indoctrinate our kids and teach them to hate America or each other,” Sanders said in a statement. “It’s sad the radical left continues to lie and play political games with our kids’ futures.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis blocked high schools in his state from teaching the AP African American Studies course. The College Board released the latest updated framework for the course in December, months after initial revisions prompted criticism the nonprofit was bowing to conservative backlash to the class.
Arkansas education officials last year said the AP African American studies class couldn’t be part of the state’s advanced placement course offerings because it’s still a pilot program and hasn’t been vetted by the state yet to determine whether it complied with the law.
Central High and the five other schools offering the class said they would continue doing so as a local elective. The class still counts toward a student’s GPA.
The lawsuit is the second challenge against Sanders’ LEARNS Act, which also created a new school voucher program. The Arkansas Supreme Court in October rejected a challenge to the law that questioned the Legislature’s procedural vote that allowed it to take effect immediately.
“The LEARNS Act has brought much-needed reforms to Arkansas. I have successfully defended (the law) from challenges before, and I am prepared to vigorously defend it again,” Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin said.
