LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Hundreds of Arkansas teachers and students will return to the classroom next week, and several new laws that will impact schools were enacted this month.
Here's a breakdown of a few new laws affecting teachers and students.
This new law, also called the "bathroom bill," bans students from using a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing area inconsistent with the sex listed on their birth certificate.
The law also states that students will share sleeping quarters with people consistent with the sex listed on the birth certificate or be provided with their sleeping quarters.
It also requires schools to provide "reasonable accommodation" for students "unwilling or unable" to use a multiple occupancy bathroom or changing area.
This law, known as the Given Name Act, bans teachers and other school employees from using a student's preferred pronouns or name unless the school has written permission from a parent or legal guardian.
Proposed by Republican Rep. Mindy McAlindon, Centerton, and Republican Sen. Kim Hammer, Benton, this law states a public school shall not require employees to attend implicit bias training.
The only time implicit bias training is allowed under this new law is if "at least 95% of the implicit bias training is required by an accreditor, grantor, or licensor."
Public school districts must treat a student's religious "viewpoint" on a subject similar to other students.
In addition, the new law allows students to express their religious opinions in their homework, classwork, artwork, or other assignments "without discrimination based on the religious content."
That work must be graded "by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance" and "against other conventional, pedagogical topics as identified by a public school district."
The LEARNS Act is also in effect now, but there is a lawsuit that questions the legislature's emergency clause and how it was passed.
The lawsuit is still ongoing.