House passes civil-rights education bill
A bipartisan bill to require that schools teach about Arkansas people and events in the civil-rights movement nearly hit a snag Monday over one of the leaders named in the bill: a sitting member of the Arkansas House.
The issue arose during a floor debate over House Bill 1648, which would amend a 2017 law creating a curriculum on the civil-rights movement.
The bill proposed that the courses also mention events that occurred in Arkansas, such as the desegregation of the Hoxie and Little Rock school districts, as well as notable Arkansans such as Daisy Gatson Bates and Irma Hunter Brown.
Another name on the list, John W. Walker, sparked concern from some lawmakers, though Walker said he was not involved.
Walker, a Democratic state representative from Little Rock, was also the first black undergraduate admitted to the University of Texas — though he was not allowed to attend — and later became an attorney for the NAACP who worked on litigation involving the Little Rock School District with Thurgood Marshall, later a U.S. Supreme Court justice.
The bill requiring that Walker be included in classroom discussions of the civil-rights movement was drafted by Rep. Fred Allen, D-Little Rock. Walker is not a co-sponsor.
In fact, Walker spoke against the bill on the House floor Monday, after Rep. John Payton, R-Wilburn, raised concerns about the ethics of memorializing a sitting member.
“I do not wish to ever be accused of being self-serving in this body,” Walker said, requesting that his name be stricken from the bill.
Allen said he would have the bill amended in the Senate to remove all references to specific people and events, and instead have the bill simply state that classes should teach about civil rights in both Arkansas and the nation.
Some lawmakers on the House Education Committee, which endorsed the bill last week, said there was confusion about what exactly the amended bill would say and wanted to hold off on passing the bill until then.
Two Republican lawmakers, Reps. Bruce Cozart of Hot Springs and Grant Hodges of Rogers, came to the defense of HB1648, saying that the body should pass the bill so that the changes could be made in the Senate.
The bill passed 68-8, with seven people voting present. Walker did not vote on the bill.