Service Animals in Arkansas Schools: What Every Administrator Should Know - Part Two
In a prior installment of this blog post we outlined the law that all Arkansas school administrators should know about service animals. Now we turn to a slightly less clear issue that comes up quite frequently: the difference between service animals and emotional support animals. The Mitchell…
Service Animals in Arkansas Schools: What Every Administrator Should Know (Part 1)
Navigating the ADA, Reasonable Accommodations, and Safety in Practice If you’ve ever had a parent or visitor arrive at your school event with a dog, you’ve probably found yourself asking: What are my legal responsibilities? What questions am I allowed to ask? How do I balance access, safety, and…
The Future of FOIA is Here: New Requirements under Acts 505 and 922 of 2025
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has long been a cornerstone of transparency, ensuring that the public has access to government records and meetings. Acts 505 and 922 of 2025, which took effect on August 5, 2025, significantly amend FOIA to modernize public meeting rules, clarify…
Critical Race Theory in Arkansas Schools: What School Boards Can Expect Next Academic Year
July 26, 2021
by Devin R. Bates
Recently, state legislatures all over the country have proposed or passed state laws seeking to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in public school classrooms, sparking legal challenges and public outcry on both sides of the issue. One recent count shows that 26 states have attempted…
Supreme Court Protects Off-Campus Speech of Public School Student
June 25, 2021
by Devin R. Bates
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 23, 2021 that a public high school student’s off-campus social media postings in which she used vulgar language and disparaged school programs constituted protected speech under the First Amendment. This decision signals the Court’s willingness to protect…