Court look urged on School Choice
The Hope and Camden Fairview school districts are asking the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at St. Louis to review an Aug. 25 decision made by an 8th Circuit panel in lawsuits challenging the Arkansas School Choice Act.
The two districts and the original plaintiffs in long-standing school desegregation cases -- represented by Whitney Moore and Shawn Childs, argue that the three-judge panel's 2-1 decision is in conflict with previous rulings of the 8th Circuit Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.
The three-judge panel decision in August reversed the panel's own earlier 2-1 decision that upheld a lower court's rulings excusing the districts from participating in interdistrict student transfers.
The panel had initially upheld the decisions of U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey, who altered the districts' decades-old desegregation plans to exempt the districts from the interdistrict transfers. The school district had argued that the interdistrict transfers would result in the loss of white students to their districts and promote racial segregation.
"Indeed, the fact that the panel has issued two 2-1 opinions clearly shows that the issues involved in this appeal present a close enough question that en banc review is appropriate," the attorneys wrote.
Junction City and Lafayette County school districts were among the plaintiffs in the initial lawsuits against the state but have elected not to pursue a re-hearing before the entire 8th Circuit Court.
6 schools granted 350-pupils waiver
The Arkansas Board of Education on Thursday granted waivers enabling six of Arkansas' smallest school districts to continue to operate despite having enrollments of fewer than 350 students.
School districts of fewer than 350 students in the previous two school years are required to consolidate with other districts unless they qualify for and obtain waivers of the state law from the Education Board.
To qualify the districts can't be in fiscal, facility or academic distress, nor can they be on probation for violation of state accreditation standards. The local school boards have to pass resolutions stating that the continued operation of the districts is in the best interest of students.
The six districts that obtained the waiver of the 350-student minimum requirement are Strong-Huttig, Augusta, Marvell-Elaine, Guy-Perkins, Shirley and Western Yell Co.
Meeting to focus on youth violence
Arkansas Education Commissioner Johnny Key and the state Board of Education agreed Friday to convene a work session in the coming weeks to begin to address the issue of community violence by the state's youth.
Education Board member Fitz Hill of Little Rock told his board colleagues that he felt compelled to raise questions about how schools could do more to prevent youth violence. That violence has become a crisis among black males in some communities, he said. A contributing factor is that students are suspended and expelled from schools. He suggested more can be done to keep students in schools and in after-school programs, and out of trouble.
Others at the meeting said there are services available to youths, but those are not always widely known or coordinated.
"We understand the urgency," Key said and added that he would provide research and information on existing services to the board in advance of the work session.
Band to perform in regional contest
Texarkana's Arkansas High School Band will host and perform in the Region 2 Marching Assessment Competition on Tuesday.
Eleven high school bands from the southwest region of the state will be representing their schools at the event. Each band will present a five- to eight-minute performance that will be rated on music, marching, brass, woodwind, percussion and color guard performances.
The event is free to the public.
12 playgrounds to be in tree program
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division has selected 12 school playgrounds for the Shade Trees on Playgrounds program.
The program was established as a way to lower the risk of skin cancer in adults by reducing childhood exposure to direct sunlight where children play, like school playgrounds.
Each of the schools will receive up to five shade trees, mulch, watering supplies and planting guidelines after participating in program training.
The recipient schools are: DeWitt Elementary School, Meekins Middle School in Stuttgart, Western Yell County Elementary in Belleville, Nevada Elementary in Rosston, Hot Springs Child Care Center, Pea Ridge Middle School, Atkins Elementary School and Middle School, Nemo Vista Middle School in Center Ridge, Don Roberts Elementary School in Little Rock, Highland Pre-Kindergarten, and Nettleton STEAM in Jonesboro.
"The program combines hands-on, outdoor experiences with classroom curriculum about the importance of trees and how to care for trees," says Urban and Community Forestry Program Coordinator Kristine Kimbro. "We hope this program not only improves the health of Arkansas students, but also leaves a lasting impression about the value of forests and how to be good stewards of our natural resources."