ArkansasLegislative Session - Urgent Concerns                                                                     What you can do to help

Arkansas Legislative Concerns - 2003

P. O. Box 9076, Jonesboro, AR – Phone 870-932-5065

e-mail blhester@futurelinc.com website: http://www.afaar.org

This year’s Kentucky seniors scored below the national average on the ACT in every area tested, and nearly 2/3 of Kentucky schools failed to meet math standards under new federal law.

A Court ruling in Kansas City, Missouri resulted in $13, 500 per pupil spending, doubling of property tax, and loss of its accreditation in 1999 when it failed all 11 indicators in the "performance" category.

States where students are required to start to school earlier have no higher test scores than children in other states; the top 10 countries in reading scores all have a later starting age, and only one state in the nation requires children to attend school at an earlier age than Arkansas. (Hasn’t helped us much, has it?) Also, a pre-school manual teaches witchcraft to children in Arkansas and the nation..

From 1970 to 1995 national per pupil spending increased 75%, but this increase has in no way been matched by increases in student performance. This period of time does, however, correspond with the greatest increase in government control in our nation’s schools. Neither does an analysis of per-pupil spending on a state-by-state basis reflect significant correlation between high performance and higher pupil spending.

In a seven- page speech, Wellstone gave numerous significant points as to why high stakes tests don’t work. He said a decision or a characterization that will have a major impact on a student should not be made on the basis of a single test and documented sources where several testing companies say the same. To read his fascinating speech, click here.

Nationally-normed tests (SAT-9, for example) are developed by reputable, established companies who have no vested interest in test scores and are much better and more reliable tests than are the benchmark tests.

The Blue Ribbon Commission says one solution to school improvement is massive consolidation of schools. However, an extensive study proves that the higher level of poverty in a community served by a school, the more damage larger schools and school districts inflict on student achievement

Note: For the sake of brevity and because of restrictions on our time limits and yours, we are sending some of the data on these topics in the form of materials we have previously published where we have already cut the words to a bare minimum. However, we are enclosing information where you can get extensive data on these topics on the web. (See Other Side)

Letters To The Editor – Jonesboro Sun

Posted December 12, 02

Recently Arkansas' Supreme Court declared the state's public education system unconstitutional. John Brummett, a liberal journalist, exulted in this decision, saying the court had chosen Kentucky as its model with a price tag of $700 million a year. Another source says Kentucky ordered their system dismantled and rebuilt within a year at a cost of $1.3 billion which was financed by a sales tax increase. Of course, the liberal Democrats (as well as Republican statists) who love government control, government programs and high taxes are exuberant!

Brummett, however, did not mention the Kentucky newspaper headlines which showed the comedy of errors (tragedies) that resulted from this ruling. Among numerous other things, Kentucky had to fire its testing company (same one that developed Arkansas tests for years). In 1997 the Kentucky Senate floor leader said, "We have already spent more than $100 million to develop, administer and grant [teacher] rewards on the basis of a flawed test."

Despite millions of dollars, this year's Kentucky seniors (who began school in 1990 under the reforms ordered by their Supreme Court) scored below the national average on the ACT test in every test area: English, math, reading and scientific reasoning.

Non-college bound students are doing even worse. Kentucky's unemployment rates for ages 16 to 19 have soared above all the surrounding states.

Even though Kentucky's educational system has failed, the liberals are still holding them up as an example and the Arkansas State Department is still praising Kentucky before the state Board of Education. Why?

And why does John Brummett say Arkansas should adopt "the standards of an adequate education established in Kentucky after an identical court ruling ? - because the reforms have served the liberals' purpose. They have increased government control and the government pocketbook, which they hope will eventually enforce their entire liberal social agenda on us and our children.

Let your legislators and the governor know how you feel about a few men on the court ruling the entire state of Arkansas.  [click here to read about Kentucky's seniors]

Debbie Pelley, Jonesboro   

Letters To The Editor, Jonesboro Sun,

Posted October 2, 2002

Governor Huckabee recently revealed that merit pay for teachers is part of his Next Step educational plan. In a survey, 85% of Arkansas teachers surveyed said merit pay will have more negative consequences than positive and will place too much emphasis on test items, and demoralize teachers; 94% percent said bureaucrats instead of teachers are making the significant educational decisions; 90% said the Education Department is placing too much emphasis on test scores and coercing teachers to teach the test. A copy of this survey and the results on 20 issues can be seen on the Educational page of  www.afaar.org

To back up the teachers’ wisdom, just look at the state of Kentucky. Kentucky was chosen several years ago to be the model state for massive reforms, including merit pay for teachers. In 1993 US Educational Secretary Richard Riley called Kentucky a "lighthouse" for the rest of the nation and said that Clinton’s Goals 2000 initiative would help states "duplicate what Kentucky has done and is doing."

For years the controversy surrounding these educational reforms have been headlined in Kentucky’s newspapers. In 1997, the Senate Floor Leader said, "We have already spent more than $100 million to develop, administer, and grant [teacher] rewards on the basis of a flawed test" They fired their testing company in 1998, and many schools were investigated for cheating. Despite merit pay and millions of dollars, this year’s graduating seniors (who began school in 1990 under the new reforms) scored below the national average on the national ACT test in every test area: English, math, reading and scientific reasoning.

Non college bound students are doing even worse. Kentucky’s unemployment rates for ages 16 to 19 have soared to a higher level than any of the surrounding seven states. (to read the article click here.)

Is this what our Governor wants for Arkansas?

Debbie Pelley. Jonesboro

In November, 1998, two Arkansas teachers testified before the Arkansas Joint Education Committee. They warned the committee that Arkansas and the nation were following the same pattern of reforms as Kentucky that had resulted in educational blunders akin to a comedy of errors and presented numerous documents and newspaper articles concerning these problems.

For documentation and to read this entire testimony, go to http://www.afaar.org, choose "Educational Issues" from the front page, and then choose "Kentucky’s Comedy of Errors (Tragedies.) Or choose "Legislative Concerns, 2003 Session" from front page, or click here.

Several years ago the Supreme Court of Kentucky declared that state’s school system unconstitutional , a ruling very similar to the one that Arkansas Supreme Court has just decreed. Kentucky was also chosen several years ago to be the model state for massive reforms, including merit pay for teachers.

In 1993 President Clinton’s Educational Secretary Richard Riley called Kentucky a "lighthouse" for the rest of the nation and said that Clinton’s Goals 2000 would help states "duplicate what Kentucky has done and is doing."

Do you get the picture? When the liberals want more money for their liberal programs and can’t get it through the legislature, the Democratic liberal judges just issue an order to take the money from the people. It also makes a nice scapegoat for their liberal legislator friends, so the legislative branch can say the court has ordered it. In Kansas City, a judge held the people there hostage to a decree, and the per pupil spending soared to $13,500 a year.

After 12 years of education under Kentucky’s ruling, their seniors scored below the national average in every area tested on the ACT test. However, the liberals in Arkansas are still promoting these reforms. Why? Because the reforms are not about education but about an agenda. Five years after the Kentucky court ruling, a prestigious panel of testing experts criticized their test, saying 2/3 of their reading passages were controversial and were pro women’s rights, pro animal rights, pro environment, pro nontraditional roles, etc. For more information on the Kentucky Ruling and Education System, go to www.afar.org,. Education Page

One multicultural book, Anti Bias, nationally used in Head Start programs, teaches children to make witches potion and gives two-week lesson plans for celebrating Halloween but suggests setting aside the Christmas Holidays. Some Head Start teachers say this book is federally mandated for use in Head Start; others say it is not mandated but highly recommended.

Arkansans, let’s learn a lesson from Kentucky and not let the court get away with this. If necessary, let’s amend the constitution to give control of education back to the people.

Bobby L. Hester, Jonesboro

The Arkansas State Supreme Court recently declared Arkansas’ school funding unconstitutional. In 1985 in Kansas City, Missouri, a judge ordered their state and district to spend nearly $2 billion for Kansas City schools to build new schools, integrate classrooms, and bring student test scores up to national norms. This new funding came from more than doubling local property taxes. The money bought new schools with Olympic-sized swimming pools and underwater viewing rooms, television and animation studios, robotics labs, a wildlife sanctuary, a zoo, and other incredible facilities.

Kansas City spent more than $11,700 per pupil, at one point spending 44% of the entire state educational budget for just 9% of students.

However, the district lost its accreditation in 1999 when it "failed every one of 11 indicators" in the "performance" category.

This may be what is in store for Arkansas if our citizens. To find out what you can do, go to www.afaar.org or call 870-932-5065 for more information.

The Arkansas State Supreme court has decreed that Arkansas citizens aren’t being taxed enough to provide an adequate education for their students. Many Arkansas columnists and bureaucrats have also jumped onto this "we want higher taxes" bandwagon. But is it true that Arkansas citizens do not pay enough in taxes? According to the 2000 U.S.Census, Arkansas ranks 47^th in per capita income. So we probably rank 47^th in taxes paid, right? Wrong. In personal income taxes, Arkansas ranks 34^th in the nation. We are 17^th in the nation in sales taxes paid. Only in property taxes do we rank at the same level as our income levels would suggest – 48^th in the nation.

It is obvious that many Arkansans are already struggling to pay their taxes. Where is this extra money, estimated by many to be $400 to $700 million dollars above what we now pay, to come from? Remember, we are 47^th in personal income. To find out what you can do, go to afaar.org or call 870-5065.

Preschool advocates claim that starting kids to school earlier will improve achievement and higher intelligence. However, there is no evidence that this is the case. These advocates use two or three studies which on the whole have no real scientific basis, exaggerate the benefits, and fail to mention those numerous studies which refute their claim. No wide-scale longitudinal study, representative of the American population, has found long-term positive effects from state-funded preschool.  (Paraphrased from "Preschool is Overhyped" by David Salisbury)

Consider the following facts:

Note: Most of the above facts were taken from a special report by HSLDA, "Mandatory Kindergarten Is Unnecessary" that can be found by going to www.afaar.org, Educational Issues, Head Start and Early Childhood Education.

As Arkansans are hammered with propaganda and coercions to adopt preschool programs, they need to remember the agenda of some very influential politicians who have made it a lifetime project to incorporate their values into our children.

One method for accomplishing this mission is a Head Start teacher’s manual being used in Little Rock, , and across the state and nation for pre-schoolers. Besides including many methods to help children see homosexuality as normal, this text encourages children to think of witches as good instead of bad. The teacher is instructed to tell the children, "What I know is that the real women we call witches weren't bad. They really helped people. " The teacher is then instructed to set up a witch-healer table, where the children make their own potions, and do witch chants. The title of this manual is Anti Bias Curriculum.

This is AFA of Arkansas. For extensive information on this topic, or to obtain a copy of this teacher manual, go to afaar.org or call 870-932-5065. That is afaar.org or 870-932-5065.

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Note: Two extensive articles on this Anti Bias Curriculum topic published in Citizen Magazine by Family Council of Arkansas can be found by going to www.afaar.org.  They are entitled "A Head Start Or a Step Back" and "Head Start Manual – The Bias Of Anti-Bias" . For documentation and several articles on Early Childhood, go to www.afaar.org, and choose early childhood from front page. (Check this)

Contact Us: If you want the next packet of material about the subjects headlined on the first page of this packet, just return the enclosed card. If you want documentation on any of this material or more research articles on any of these subjects, indicate so on the enclosed card (be specific) and return to us or call 870-932-9065, e-mail blhester@futurelinc.com, or fax us at 870-910-0464. If during the legislative session, which we know is extremely busy, you have matters which you would like researched, let us know. If time permits, we will do our best to get articles from different perspectives to you.

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