There was a time in the not too distant past when legislators worked to solve issues without waiting to the last minute to see what a new governor wanted to do. It was a great system. Legislators explored ideas, wrote draft legislation, built public support, and many would also present the idea to a newly elected governor to see if the idea was something the new governor wanted to support and adopt as part of the governor’s agenda. They represented their constituents by filing the legislation with or without a governor’s support. Some good legislators still do this.
However, we have seen a trend over the last several years of legislators trying to avoid doing anything to solve problems by saying “I’m waiting for the governor’s plan.” Usually that means the legislator really doesn’t want to do anything or is so subservient to whoever is governor that the legislator won’t do anything without instructions from the governor.
When some legislators were asked about what they plan to do to bring real school choice to Arkansas, they said, “I’m waiting on Sarah’s plan.” Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is likely to be the next governor, appears to be a friend of school choice, but legislators doing nothing for the next three months as the January legislative session approaches helps the left by not being prepared to push school choice as far as possible. Legislators waiting for months before proposing legislation gives Walmart (AKA Wokemart) more time to undermine any plan and to come up with limitations and restrictions that will result in Arkansas, once again, passing school choice in name only.
Some state legislators are afraid of their school superintendents and the education associations. With the way some schools have sought to stop a ban on the teaching of the racist Critical Race Theory and have pushed programs to sexualize school children, the support of the superintendents of these schools ought to be the kiss of death to the political careers of some legislators.
Providing real school choice for all parents and guardians will be the most important legislation to come before the Arkansas General Assembly.
Giving parents and guardians the ability to choose schools is the only way to stem the tide of the left’s radical indoctrination of school children. With school choice, schools must listen to the community, otherwise parents and guardians will send their children to another school. With school choice, schools could no longer ignore complaints about the quality of education because the children could go elsewhere. School choice is the only way teachers will have a voice in their schools since school choice will create alternative teaching opportunities.
By now EVERY STATE LEGISLATOR should have studied the recent legislation passed in Arizona which gives every family real school choice. Ask how your legislator’s plan is similar or different from the Arizona plan? “I’m waiting for Sarah’s plan” is not an answer.
