Jacob Oliva and Sarah Sanders
Brian Chilson
Back in the really first days of Gov. Sarah Sanders' administration, in January 2023, she signed a series of executive orders that set the tone for what was to follow-- amongst them, a directive to Education Secretary Jacob Oliva to prevent "indoctrination" and "important race theory" from corrupting Arkansas's schools.
Was all of it talk, or did the state Department of Education really take steps to alter what kids in Arkansas are being taught about race, history and civics?
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Josh Snyder has part of the answer in a great story in Sunday's paper: Yes, they did. Though it's unclear how much result the modifications had in class, the education department revamped a list of resources it maintains for teachers on its site to comply with Sanders' order on "brainwashing" and another prohibiting the word "Latinx" from official state files. Snyder obtained emails department authorities sent to personnel in February 2023 asking to review documents including the word "Latinx." The department likewise asked staff to ensure they weren't providing links to sites that use the term.
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" The outside resources need to be checked for the term Latinx. If the term appears, we have actually been directed to erase the resource," an official said in one email.
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The timing of the Dem-Gaz story is a bit odd, in that the interactions in concern are mainly from over a year ago, however no matter-- it's vital reading for anyone concerned about Arkansas schools and the education department's new agenda under Sanders and Oliva.
Amongst the "resources" subsequently gotten rid of by the state were links to materials from the Library of Congress, Brown University Library, Yale's online library, UMass Amherst, National Geographic, the American Bar Association, Selma Online, the Central Arkansas Library System's Butler Center and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
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The state also added materials to the list, Synder reported, consisting of main source materials for teaching Arkansas history and a site called 1776 Unites that appears to highlight Black academics with heterodox views:
The 1776 Unites curriculum was created through the Woodson Center, a nonprofit founded by social activist Robert L. Woodson Sr. Woodson himself is often referred to as a conservative thinker, and has actually lectured on conservative subjects in the past.
According to the project site, the curriculum was developed by "a group of independent scholars, counselors, and good example," and "maintains an unique concentrate on stories that celebrate black quality, turn down victimhood culture, and display African-Americans who have actually prospered by accepting America's starting suitables."
As has actually ended up being foregone conclusion under Sanders, the education department would not offer a meaningful reaction to concerns presented by Snyder:
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Education Department spokesperson Kimberly Mundell said in an email reaction to questions about how the firm decides what belongs on its resources lists that items on the lists are lined up to Arkansas Academic Standards. The resources are examined every year and released by way of a commissioner's memo, she said.
All that said-- does it actually matter what links are on the education department's website? Are Arkansas social studies teachers really referencing lists of materials from the state to assist their day-to-day lesson preparation? Possibly not. The chilling result is real. When Sanders talks about cracking down on "crucial race theory" in Arkansas principals, schools and superintendents and instructors definitely end up being more careful of mentor anything that may bring in the state's ire.
And that's just the executive order. Recall that Arkansas LEARNS, the education overhaul promoted by Sanders, wrote a similar restriction on "brainwashing" into state law-- a change that Oliva used to justify the state's choice last summer to decline to count a pilot AP African American Studies towards graduation requirements. Remember likewise the laughably clumsy list of examples of expected "brainwashing" the education department compiled for public release when the African American Studies decision drew in nationwide attention.
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We do not know how carefully the education department is actually policing such things, but the message to schools is clear: When it comes to teaching about the terrible history of race in the U.S., be careful.
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