State Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Ark., believes the LEARNS Act could become a game-changer for the state of Arkansas and the country, at large, once the bill passes through the state Senate chamber.
The legislation "focuses on a total transformation of the education system," Brooks told Newsmax Monday afternoon, while appearing on "American Agenda" with hosts Bob Sellers and Katrina Szish.
"It's not a secret ... to say that education has been a challenge here in Arkansas and nationwide," said Brooks, possibly alluding to the COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions hindering schools in recent years.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a "bold vision" for the state of Arkansas, noted Brooks, in terms of addressing the literary crisis, raising teacher pay in the state, and giving parents a stronger voice in their kids' education.
Arkansas "is ready to step up and lead," added Brooks.
The LEARNS bill, or Arkansas Senate Bill 294, is "an omnibus bill that includes state funds that students could use to attend a private or home school and a $14,000 raise in the minimum starting salary for teachers."
Brooks said the LEARNS Act would ban Critical Race Theory from being taught in Arkansas schools. It would also prohibit teachers from introducing sexually explicit content to a certain level of elementary school-aged children.
"The pressure on teachers to do things that maybe they're not comfortable with can sometimes be overwhelming," Brooks lamented. "We're trying to [promote] the concept that it's not our jobs to tell students what to think. It's our jobs to teach them how to think."
Brooks added: "We're ensuring that parents have the ultimate voice, that parents know the curriculum that's being taught in their schools."
According to Arkansas Online, the LEARNS Act would feed into a voucher program, known as Education Freedom Accounts.
"The accounts will be phased in over three years beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, with students receiving 90% of the per-student foundation funding from the previous school year, which was $7,413 for the 2022-2023 school year," wrote Arkansas Online.
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