The education reform package Gov. Sarah Sanders previewed this week is a dog of a proposal that sells out students of color and insults teachers.
While they didn’t say it quite so bluntly as that, this is the verdict from the Little Rock NAACP and the Little Rock Education Association teachers union.
“Our governor just proposed the worst education bill ever in the history of our country,” Little Rock NAACP President Daniel Bowman said. “They are clearly trying to eliminate public schools and make education a for-profit enterprise, we must stop this at all costs … !”
A statement from the Little Rock Branch of the NAACP breaks it down.
The Little Rock Education Association says the Arkansas LEARNS plan will cripple the state’s public education system. Vouchers for private schools and unchecked growth on charters will create dueling systems, one to serve well-to-do, well-resourced students and one for everyone else.
“Until charter schools and private schools are required to educate all students who seek enrollment, they aren’t truly models of choice. They are models of segregation and elitist gatekeeping,” their press release said.
The LREA is also sounding the alarm over Sanders’ plan to repeal the Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, which ensures due process for teachers in danger of losing their jobs.
Here’s their statement in full:
In light of the Arkansas LEARNS proposal presented by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders yesterday the Little Rock Education Association (LREA) feels it is necessary to speak publicly in support of the proposed $50,000 base salary increase along with the promise that ALL teachers would receive raises. It has been the work of this association to advocate for more competitive salaries for ALL public education employees. However, educators’ raises should not be at the expense of a functioning public education system. We stand in complete opposition to the repeal of the Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismissal Act, which was enacted to protect educators from losing their jobs without due process. This is essential in ensuring schools operate fairly and equitably.
We further oppose the proposed measure to allow unlimited numbers of charter schools and school choice transfers. The school choice movement is based upon the faulty belief that there must be schools that are worse than others. Instead of writing those schools off as failures, we should be increasing investment in those institutions that need it most. Every school has the ability to become a school of choice if given access to quality resources. Until charter schools and private schools are required to educate all students who seek enrollment, they aren’t truly models of choice. They are models of segregation and elitist gatekeeping.
By lumping these and so many other proposals into a single omnibus bill Governor Sanders is denying the people of Arkansas the opportunity to adequately judge the individual proposals on their own merits. While some parts of the Arkansas LEARNS proposal could be beneficial, the bill in totality will cripple public education in Arkansas. Each change to education policy should be debated and passed individually to ensure only the best proposals become law. The people of Arkansas deserve better. Educators in Arkansas deserve better. Students in Arkansas deserve better.
The Little Rock NAACP and the Little Rock Education Association are in good company. The Arkansas Public Policy Panel, the Democratic Party of Arkansas and Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families have all spoken out publicly against Arkansas LEARNS.
The libertarian conservative Koch brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity is for it, though. And so are all these guys.
Such diversity in Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Arkansas government. They range from slightly off-white to blindingly white. pic.twitter.com/0K5CezZawq
— 😱 Scary Larry 😱 🇺🇦✊🏻🇺🇸🗽 (@aintscarylarry) February 10, 2023
