In a recent development, a high school teacher and two students from Little Rock Central High School have filed a lawsuit against Arkansas challenging the state's ban on critical race theory and 'indoctrination' in public schools. The lawsuit, which argues that these restrictions are unconstitutional, specifically targets the state's decision last year not to count an Advanced Placement course on African American Studies for state credit.
The plaintiffs contend that the ban violates free speech protections under the First Amendment and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. They argue that the restrictions not only chill free speech but also discriminate on the basis of race, drawing parallels to historical events such as the racial desegregation crisis of 1957.
Arkansas, along with other Republican-led states, has implemented measures to restrict how race is taught in classrooms, including prohibitions on critical race theory. However, the state's ban does not clearly define what constitutes critical race theory or prohibited 'indoctrination.'
Similar legal challenges have been seen in other states like Tennessee, where educators contested sweeping bans on teaching certain concepts of race, gender, and bias in classrooms. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also made headlines for blocking the teaching of the AP African American Studies course in high schools.
Despite the legal battle, schools like Central High and five others have continued to offer the AP African American Studies class as a local elective, with the course still counting towards students' GPAs. The lawsuit against the state's restrictions is the second challenge to Governor Sanders' LEARNS Act, which introduced a new school voucher program.
While Governor Sanders defended the law, stating that it aims to prevent the indoctrination of students, the lawsuit underscores the ongoing debate over how race and related topics are addressed in educational settings. The legal proceedings are expected to shed light on the intersection of free speech, education policy, and historical perspectives in the state of Arkansas.
