Arkansas Blog

That's a really novel idea--have an adversarial litigant hire your assistant to settle a case so that she essentially remains your assistant while the adversary pays her (and possibly at a higher rate than what you have been paying her). I hope I can reach such an arrangement at some point down the line.

To lapse back into seriousness for a moment, LRSD has no real incentive to settle right now (at least as viewed rationally, which isn't always guaranteed to happen). LRSD won before the district court, and its case on appeal is strong, with a very good chance of prevailing. This agreement would provide counsel for Joshua with a means to extract more payments from the school district (when the presiding district judge has been loathe to allow payments under the current settlement agreement), and it would set up a new set of requirements for LRSD in the long struggle to keep this case alive at all costs. It would also allow Mr. Walker to get a piece of litigation against the state over desegregation funds. Chris Heller is right--this proposal should be rejected.

How come in civil rights the categorical classification never is broad enough to include the other categories for commerce usually framed in terms of race, sex, gender, creed and disability? Since disability will inevitably be a natural expression brought upon by aging, should we really not be shaping the built world and our strange thinking to include folks with disabiliities into the economic value equation. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize the amount of authentic work to be performed that will set this state and this country on a better trajectory!

All I can say is WOW....This deseg thing gets better and better.

Follow the cash. (as least until the point where you can't stand the stench)

Continuing litigation on an issue that has been dismissed by the courts is like throwing money away.

The Intervenor's point has been made.....we know there is an achievement gap between Blacks and whites......but that is not the only gap. There is also an achievement gap between the ecomonically disadvantaged and those who are not. There is also an achievement gap between our highest performing student population and other state's highest performing student populations....Arkansas ranking lower. Should we pursue litigation in these areas also......NO. Is it logical to saddle the school districts with the sole responsibility of narrowing the achievement gap of all of the aforementioned groups....NO.

The school district is responsibile for providing adequate funding to the schools to institute programs and provide teachers who will foster learning. That is all they can do...... Beyond that, it is the parents responsibility and the communities responsibility to aid in the rest. Parents must be involved in their childs learning. Starting at an early age, they must instill the idea that education and learning is a high priority.....this can be done through actions....reading to your child every night, helping your child learn their ABC's, colors, counting, etc...., helping them explore and learn about the world around them. Once in school, they must come to parent-teacher conference; they must ensure that reading/homework is done everynight; they must ensure that their child attends school. Does anyone know what percentage of parents participate in parent/teacher conferences? Is there any correlation between parent involvement and student performance? Based on what I have read, materials that I have recieved.....I would say yes. Parents must step up to the plate. Administrators, school districts and 'No Child Left Behind' need to figure out a way to hold parents more accountable.

Communities and government programs could direct efforts in supporting parents so that they can accomplish the aforementioned "must" task. Government could spend all of that 'No child left behind' money in manditory pre-school programs, adult education, job training..... Communities/community leaders (School Boards) could work toward creating an atomsphere of unity instead of division.

According to Quality Counts 2008 (http://arkansased.org/communications/pdf/qc_release_010908.pdf ...... this is the link to the Arkansas Department of Educations press release and this is the direct link to the article www.edweek.org/go/qc08 ), Arkansas has done a good job in developing a curriculum, standards and financial stability to establish a good frame work for students to learn. It does illistrate that we have a signficant way to go in achievment....much like the rest of the country. But continued litigation is not going to solve that nor will it solve the achievement gap........because that only addresses one part of the equation. Current programs should be continued and built upon....but parent involvement has to be addressed and parents must be held more accountable.

Hoping for a more unified and dignified future.

this stinks, but so does the legal representation LRSD has gotten for the last 25 years