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The Hill
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Court rules Arkansas can enforce classroom ban on critical race theory
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday to allow Arkansas to enforce a classroom ban on critical race theory. The three-judge panel rejected arguments from students that the state was violating their First Amendment rights by restricting the teaching. 'Since the Free Speech Clause does not give the students the right to compel the government to say something it does not wish to, they cannot show a likelihood of success,' the judges wrote, vacating a previous preliminary injunction blocking the state from implementing the law. Critical race theory is an academic concept that contends racism is embedded in American institutions. Republicans have gone on a crusade to root it out of classrooms, but it is not always well-defined what qualifies as teaching it. The state of Arkansas celebrated the victory after over a year battling with students and teachers regarding the law. 'With its ruling today, the 8th Circuit continues to ensure that the responsibility of setting curriculum is in the hands of democratically elected officials who, by nature, are responsive to voters,' state Attorney General Tim Griffin (R). The attorneys for the students said the decision gives them 'pause and concern,' The Associated Press reported. 'It gives us pause and concern about a steady erosion of individual rights and protections in this great country,' attorney Mike Laux said in a statement. 'Nonetheless, major aspects of this lawsuit remain viable, and they will proceed in due course.'
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Court backs Arkansas ban on Critical Race Theory, cementing state power over curriculum
FILE - In this Sept. 26, 1957, file photo, members of the 101st Airborne Division take up positions outside Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. (AP Photo/File) A decades-old struggle over race and education has resurfaced in the heart of Arkansas, this time not at the steps of Little Rock Central High School, but inside its classrooms. A federal court ruling on Wednesday gave the state legal clearance to enforce its ban on teaching critical race theory (CRT), marking a decisive moment in a national battle over who controls the narrative in American public education. The decision, issued by a three-judge panel of the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals, vacated a prior injunction that had partially blocked the enforcement of the law. In doing so, the court declared that students do not possess a First Amendment right to demand a particular ideology in school curricula. a verdict that legal experts say could have sweeping implications for classroom instruction across the country. Historic site, Modern conflict The lawsuit was brought by two teachers and two students at Little Rock Central High School—a school forever etched in civil rights history for the desegregation crisis of 1957. This time, the conflict centers not on access to education, but on what is allowed to be taught within it. While the district court had previously granted a temporary injunction for the students, the appellate court struck it down, affirming that educational content lies squarely within the government's discretion. Critics warn of a chilling effect Attorneys for the plaintiffs expressed deep concern about the court's reasoning. Attorney Mike Laux warned that by reinforcing state control over pedagogy without clear definitions or protections, the ruling risks silencing necessary conversations about race, power, and history, as reported by the Associated Press. Although parts of the legal challenge remain active, the court's ruling hands Arkansas a significant interim victory in its broader push to reshape public education along conservative ideological lines. Governor Sanders and GOP officials celebrate Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who signed the education overhaul into law in 2023, praised the court's decision as a win for 'common sense and educational freedom.' The Republican governor has positioned herself as a leading voice in the conservative campaign to ban CRT and similar frameworks, repeatedly asserting that children should be taught 'how to think, not what to think.' Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin echoed her sentiments, calling the ruling a validation of democratic control over curriculum. Vague law, broad consequences Although CRT is a graduate-level academic framework rarely taught in K-12 settings, the law's opponents argue that its ban, deliberately undefined, grants sweeping authority to state officials to suppress discussions about systemic racism, white privilege, and other socially significant topics. Arkansas's statute does not offer a clear definition of what constitutes CRT, leaving teachers and administrators in a state of uncertainty. Critics say the ambiguity could lead to self-censorship, the erasure of diverse perspectives, and a whitewashing of historical truths. A pattern of conservative curriculum wars Arkansas is not alone. Over the past three years, more than a dozen Republican-led states have enacted legislation to restrict how race and gender are discussed in classrooms. President Donald Trump added momentum earlier this year by ordering that federal education funds not be used for 'indoctrination' involving CRT or what he labeled as 'radical gender ideology.' Supporters argue these efforts protect children from divisive ideologies. Opponents see a coordinated campaign to undermine intellectual freedom and rewrite historical narratives for political ends. Beyond the classroom walls While the appellate panel acknowledged the students' discomfort with ideological overreach in education, it maintained that courts have no authority to interfere with curriculum decisions based on policy disagreements alone. 'The Constitution does not give courts the power to block government action based on mere policy disagreements,' the judges wrote. That assertion may provide legal clarity, but it does little to settle the moral and educational questions now gripping communities across the nation. Who decides what young Americans learn? And how do public schools balance civic values with political mandates? The new front line in the culture war This ruling carves out a stark new boundary in the ongoing cultural clash over American identity and education. As state governments claim greater control over what is taught, teachers, students, and parents are left navigating a fragile terrain, where history is contested, speech is regulated, and the classroom becomes a battleground for competing visions of truth. In Arkansas, the lesson is clear: The curriculum may no longer be just an educational tool, it is now a political weapon. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
NBC News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Arkansas can enforce critical race theory ban in classrooms, federal court says
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Arkansas can enforce its ban on critical race theory in classrooms, ruling the First Amendment doesn't give students the right to compel the state to offer its instruction in public schools. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction issued against the ban, one of several changes adopted under an education overhaul that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed in 2023. The prohibition is being challenged by two teachers and two students at Little Rock Central High School, site of the 1957 desegregation crisis. A federal judge had granted the injunction to the students but not the teachers. "Just as ordinary citizens cannot require the government to express a certain viewpoint or maintain a prior message, students cannot oblige the government to maintain a particular curriculum or offer certain materials in that curriculum based on the Free Speech Clause," the judges ruled. Attorneys for the teachers and students said they were disappointed in the ruling. "It gives us pause and concern about a steady erosion of individual rights and protections in this great country," attorney Mike Laux said in a statement. "Nonetheless, major aspects of this lawsuit remain viable, and they will proceed in due course." Critical race theory is an academic framework dating to the 1970s that centers on the idea that racism is embedded in the nation's institution. The theory is not a fixture of K-12 education, and Arkansas' ban does not define what constitutes critical race theory. Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin praised the court's ruling. "With its ruling today, the 8th Circuit continues to ensure that the responsibility of setting curriculum is in the hands of democratically elected officials who, by nature, are responsive to voters," Griffin said in a statement. Arkansas is among several Republican-led states that have placed restrictions on how race is taught in the classroom, including prohibitions on critical race theory. President Donald Trump in February ordered federal money for K-12 schools cannot be used on the "indoctrination" of children, including "radical gender ideology and critical race theory." "Big win for common sense, education freedom — and parents who just want our schools to teach kids how to think, not what to think," Sanders, who served as Trump's press secretary during his first term, posted on X after Wednesday's ruling. The judges said they weren't minimizing the students' concerns "whether in this case or in the abstract — about a government that decides to exercise its discretion over the public school curriculum by prioritizing ideological interests over educational ones."
16-07-2025
- Politics
Federal court says Arkansas can enforce ban on critical race theory in classrooms
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Arkansas can enforce its ban on critical race theory in classrooms, ruling the First Amendment doesn't give students the right to compel the state to offer its instruction in public schools. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction issued against the ban, one of several changes adopted under an education overhaul that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed in 2023. The prohibition is being challenged by two teachers and two students at Little Rock Central High School, site of the 1957 desegregation crisis. A federal judge had granted the injunction to the students but not the teachers. 'Just as ordinary citizens cannot require the government to express a certain viewpoint or maintain a prior message, students cannot oblige the government to maintain a particular curriculum or offer certain materials in that curriculum based on the Free Speech Clause,' the judges ruled. Attorneys for the teachers and students said they were disappointed in the ruling. 'It gives us pause and concern about a steady erosion of individual rights and protections in this great country,' attorney Mike Laux said in a statement. "Nonetheless, major aspects of this lawsuit remain viable, and they will proceed in due course.' Critical race theory is an academic framework dating to the 1970s that centers on the idea that racism is embedded in the nation's institution. The theory is not a fixture of K-12 education, and Arkansas' ban does not define what constitutes critical race theory. Republican Attorney General Tim Griffin praised the court's ruling. 'With its ruling today, the 8th Circuit continues to ensure that the responsibility of setting curriculum is in the hands of democratically elected officials who, by nature, are responsive to voters,' Griffin said in a statement. Arkansas is among several Republican-led states that have placed restrictions on how race is taught in the classroom, including prohibitions on critical race theory. President Donald Trump in February ordered federal money for K-12 schools cannot be used on the 'indoctrination' of children, including 'radical gender ideology and critical race theory.' 'Big win for common sense, education freedom — and parents who just want our schools to teach kids how to think, not what to think,' Sanders, who served as Trump's press secretary during his first term, posted on X after Wednesday's ruling. The judges said they weren't minimizing the students' concerns 'whether in this case or in the abstract — about a government that decides to exercise its discretion over the public school curriculum by prioritizing ideological interests over educational ones.' 'But the Constitution does not give courts the power to block government action based on mere policy disagreements,' the court said.
San Francisco Chronicle
16-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Federal court says Arkansas can enforce ban on critical race theory in classrooms
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Arkansas can enforce its ban on critical race theory in classrooms, ruling the First Amendment doesn't give students the right to compel the state to offer its instruction in public schools. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction issued against the ban, one of several changes adopted under an education overhaul that Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed in 2023. The prohibition is being challenged by two teachers and two students at Little Rock Central High School, site of the 1957 desegregation crisis. A federal judge had granted the injunction to the students but not the teachers. 'Just as ordinary citizens cannot require the government to express a certain viewpoint or maintain a prior message, students cannot oblige the government to maintain a particular curriculum or offer certain materials in that curriculum based on the Free Speech Clause,' the judges ruled. Attorneys for the teachers and students said they were disappointed in the ruling. 'It gives us pause and concern about a steady erosion of individual rights and protections in this great country,' attorney Mike Laux said in a statement. "Nonetheless, major aspects of this lawsuit remain viable, and they will proceed in due course.' Critical race theory is an academic framework dating to the 1970s that centers on the idea that racism is embedded in the nation's institution. The theory is not a fixture of K-12 education, and Arkansas' ban does not define what constitutes critical race theory. 'With its ruling today, the 8th Circuit continues to ensure that the responsibility of setting curriculum is in the hands of democratically elected officials who, by nature, are responsive to voters,' Griffin said in a statement. Arkansas is among several Republican-led states that have placed restrictions on how race is taught in the classroom, including prohibitions on critical race theory. President Donald Trump in February ordered federal money for K-12 schools cannot be used on the 'indoctrination' of children, including 'radical gender ideology and critical race theory.' 'Big win for common sense, education freedom — and parents who just want our schools to teach kids how to think, not what to think,' Sanders, who served as Trump's press secretary during his first term, posted on X after Wednesday's ruling. The judges said they weren't minimizing the students' concerns 'whether in this case or in the abstract — about a government that decides to exercise its discretion over the public school curriculum by prioritizing ideological interests over educational ones.'
