GOP Rep. Jim Wooten, Democrat Chris Jones speaking at anti-LEARNS Act town hall
by March 23, 2023 9:32 am 2,989 views
State Rep. Jim Wooten, R-Beebe, and Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for governor in 2022, will headline an anti-LEARNS Act town hall discussion Tuesday (March 28) hosted by the Rural Caucus of Arkansas.
The two will present opening remarks at “Rural Education in Arkansas: A Town Hall on the Future of Our Public Schools,” at Cabot’s Arlene Cherry Memorial Library. The discussion starts at 6:30 p.m., with a meet and greet beginning an hour earlier.
A press release from the event says the discussion will cover “the immediate and immense harms that Arkansas’ rural communities face from the policies and legislation being proposed and passed into law this session of the Arkansas General Assembly — and in particular, the devastation that the LEARNS Act will have on our public schools, especially rural districts.”
The LEARNS Act is Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ signature education bill. It created a system that allows parents to use most of the state’s per-pupil public school foundation funding for private and homeschooling expenses. The legislation also increased the state’s minimum teacher salary to $50,000 while guaranteeing all teachers a $2,000 raise.
Wooten, a retired football coach, was one of the few Republican legislators to vote against the LEARNS Act. Speaking from the House floor on March 2, he said it will inevitably divert funds from public schools. He said private schools won’t accept all students, including those with special needs, and that the LEARNS Act will increase racial segregation.
After winning 35% of the vote in the November general election, Jones formed the Vortex PAC to recruit and support Democratic candidates.
Following Jones’ and Wooten’s remarks, Cabot City Council member Corey Spangler will introduce the panelists, while Rural Caucus of Arkansas Chairman Steve Grappe will moderate the discussion.
The panelists will be social worker and 2022 Democratic state Senate candidate Allison Sweatman; Dr. Melanie Duerkop, director of federal programs and teacher effectiveness for Cabot Public Schools; and Jennifer Chosich, a homeschooling mother and advocate.
Supporters of the LEARNS Act, led by the Reform Alliance, are hosting a virtual town hall on Wednesday (March 29) at 7 p.m. with Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva. The Arkansas Department of Education is embarking on a series of public meetings around the state to incorporate input for rules and regulations related to the new law. The agency is seeking volunteers for a variety of working groups.