A federal judge on Wednesday heard arguments but did not rule on a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges a section of the LEARNS Act prohibiting “indoctrination” in schools.
The lawsuit challenging Section 16 of the LEARNS Act, which is titled “Indoctrination” and references Critical Race Theory, is also being heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky said Wednesday he would consider the higher court when deciding how to move forward. A preliminary injunction is currently in place partly granting some of the plaintiffs’ demands.
The LEARNS Act is a 2023 Arkansas law that made several changes to the state’s education system, including increasing the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and creating a school voucher program.
Little Rock parents, students and teachers filed the lawsuit in March, claiming that Section 16 violates the U.S. Constitution.
