Little Rock, Arkansas: Nothing for US without US. That is what this all boils down to, and we see through the rhetoric. The LEARNS Act was created by special interest, out-of-state groups and passed without input from the People. The People of Arkansas have a Constitutional right to demand redress through the veto referendum process. The government officials elected by us consistently go against the will of the People and make that process harder. They don’t follow the rules or procedures, and then they attack those who ask for accountability. These elitists plan to starve our public schools of resources and give tax breaks to their wealthy friends and donors, all while hoarding a billion dollars of surplus in the state’s coffers. 

The decision made by the State Board of Education today puts the burden of supporting the Marvell Elaine School District (MESD) back into the hands of the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). ADE’s decades-long failure to provide the resources and support MESD needed, along with their intent to sell off the management of the district to an outside group, provides the incentive for ADE to fail more districts in our state. And they will. As CAPES works to collect signatures to let the People decide if the LEARNS Act is best for Arkansas, we ask that everyone do their part by signing the petition. Let ADE, the Arkansas Legislature, and the governor know our communities and our public schools are NOT for sale!

This is Arkansas. Our motto is Regnat Populus, meaning The People Rule, not a handful of government officials and outsiders using misnomers like “school choice” and “parental empowerment” to create a false narrative.The reality is they are slowly stripping the People’s power away. It is the whole purpose of the LEARNS Act.

CAPES will be holding a large Drive Through and Sign Event in Little Rock this Saturday, July 9, from 9am-4pm in the Williams Library Parking Lot at 1800 S. Chester Street. Come sign the petition and tell the people trying to silence your voice they can’t do that. We didn’t elect officials for the purpose of defunding our public schools, and Arkansas deserves better. We have the right to hold elected officials accountable through the veto referendum process. It is not just a right given to us by our Constitution, but also an obligation to check the misuse of government power in the democratic process. It is OUR power.

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