Arkansas test scores leap after schools ban Critical Race Theory and Radical Gender Theory

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Arkansas test scores leap after schools ban Critical Race Theory and Radical Gender Theory

Published: Saturday, June 20th, 2026 @ 10:57 am
By: John Steed ( More Entries )

After passing a conservative education reform law three years ago that was championed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas has seen its standardized test scores soar by seven points, five of those accomplished in just the last year. A key feature of the law was a focus of education basics and a ban on teaching DEI relayed subjects like Critical Race Theory and Radical Gender Theory. The law also raised teacher pay and created performance-driven bonuses for higher achieving teachers.

Governor Sanders is touting Arkansas' success as a model for other states.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/06/arkansas-governor-sarah-sanders-announces-big-gains-test/

Here in Beaufort County, the conservative group on our School Board has enacted bans on both Critical Race Theory and Radical Gender Theory in our local school curriculum policies. These changes ultimately got unanimous approval by the Board. In the first new curriculum adopted under that new policy, on Science, the Board instructed curriculum vendors that these subjects were not acceptable, and the vendors complied by submitting curricula that did not include them. How this will continue to play our after December, however, is unknown because two key conservatives were replaced in the primary by challengers with backgrounds in a teachers union. Hopefully, the remaining board conservatives will be able to hold the line. Beaufort County has started on the right path, and should stay on it.

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Conservative Voter said:

( June 22nd, 2026 @ 9:56 pm )

VZ, it is all about Carolyn Walker being the liberal prima donna of the school board. She can't get away with that when the board has a large conservative group, so she works consistently against the conservatives. Carolyn Walker is the most vocal liberal on the board with T. W. Allen probably next. The Walkers worked against all three conservatives on the school board last time. Randy just does what he is told by Carolyn. Since their family business closed down on Main Street in Washington, I understand Randy now works as a security guard at ECU. I imagine they need those school board and county commission salaries.

Van Zant said:

( June 22nd, 2026 @ 7:28 pm )

I'm wondering some more. I wonder why the Washington Walkers (Carolyn and Randy) were working so hard in Republican Primaries outside of their own school district.

Conservative Voter said:

( June 22nd, 2026 @ 9:55 am )

pirate, the second conservative school board member defeated in the primary was Donald Schreve of Bath. Schreve was a solid vote on curriculum matters and most things, but upset some conservatives enough with his vote to close Snowden, and that got him opposition from two directions. Both the liberal Carolyn Walker network and some conservative elements both went after him. This is where the other candidate connected to the teachers union was elected.

piratefan said:

( June 21st, 2026 @ 9:48 am )

I remember the liberal Walkers, Carolyn and Randy, campaigning hard at Chocowinity Fire Station against two conservative school board members, Hickman and Rader, but how were two defeated in the primary? Hickman won. Both Gilead and Chocowinity voted at the fire station, with Gilead split between Rader's and Hickman's districts, and part of Chocowinity in Hickman's. I think Rader's opponent waw one of those teachers union types, but not sure about Hickman's. Carolyn Walker was concentrating on Rader's race and Randy on Hickman's, supporting their opponents.

I agree that this woke mess out of our schools.

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