Arkansas is failing our students in need and the fate of the LRSD hangs in the balance. On Thursday, the State Board of Education will consider a proposal, supported by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, to maintain state control of some Little Rock schools and end recognition of the Little Rock Education Association.

The state of Arkansas took control of Little Rock schools five years ago to “help the children” and today we have more of our students and schools in distress. Five years of state control has resulted in the closure of neighborhood schools. It has resulted in the siphoning of resources from schools with the highest needs and the dramatic expansion charter schools. After five years, the State Board of Education STILL has not produced a detailed plan on how to improve academic opportunities for ALL students.

Now more than ever, our teachers and students need you to take meaningful action to help restore a locally controlled, unified school district so we can build the school system our children deserve.

We should not give the Governor and the State Department of Education more time to continue doing what does not work. We can not let them blame and attack our teachers and community for bad outcomes they created by failing to invest in our students.