Full disclosure: I am currently a plaintiff in two court cases that challenge the LEARNS Act, and not at liberty to argue those specific cases in this forum. However, there are a plethora of other problems with the LEARNS Act that need addressing, some that no doubt could become court cases in the future. In this space, as I have for years now, I will discuss issues with LEARNS that are not a part of litigation that involves me personally. Those interested in my cases may access them for further understanding, as they are public record.

It would be nice if we could trust our public officials. If the words coming out of their mouths held any meaning at all other than spinning a story they hope will take them where they want to go. For our governor and her yes-men and women, that is Washington, D.C. Everything she does is calculated with that goal in mind rather than any fidelity to Arkansas and what would actually help our people.

In a recent guest column for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, state Education Secretary Jacob Oliva argued that LEARNS is working. He pointed directly to ATLAS proficiency scores, celebrating improved math and literacy rates as definitive proof of the law's success. It is a comforting narrative, wrapped up neatly in standardized testing percentages and political propaganda. But as anyone who has ever stepped into a classroom knows, an "improved" test score, particularly when the test is designed to favor a political agenda, does not mean the foundation of the house is secure. While the administration touts short-term testing gains, the long-term structural reality of the LEARNS Act is causing deep instability for the vast majority of Arkansas children.

If you spend any time in rural Arkansas, you learn what holds our communities together. It isn't a corporate office or big government complex. It is the local public school. In towns like Ozark, Paris, Charleston, or any number of communities across the Delta, the school district is the single largest employer, the community center, and the beating heart of local identity. Friday night football games, band concerts, and the rumble of........

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