Arkansas Art Education News

11/10/2025

Boycott Sends a Message: Arkansas Art Educators Conference Sees Major Drop in Attendance

OPINION:
This year’s Arkansas Art Educators Fall Conference saw a noticeably lower turnout — a result many attribute to a coordinated boycott by teachers who say the organization has drifted too far from its mission to represent all Arkansas art educators.

Those who boycotted point to what they describe as a pattern of ideological control within the organization. Members recall that last year, following the national election, leadership instructed members not to discuss the election results because Donald Trump won, implying some political viewpoints were unwelcome.

More recently, members say the organization’s private Facebook group has discouraged or removed posts mentioning Christmas, announcing that holiday-related art and discussion would not be allowed. For many teachers in Arkansas — where Christmas art projects, service events, and community traditions are woven into school life — this was viewed as out of touch and unnecessarily divisive.

The message many educators took away was clear:

Certain perspectives can be celebrated. Others will be silenced.

The boycott, supporters say, wasn’t about rejecting art, professional development, or community — it was about standing up for inclusivity, the very value the organization claims to champion. Teachers are asking for an environment where classroom culture, student traditions, and personal beliefs are respected rather than discouraged.

The smaller turnout spoke volumes.
Arkansas educators are no longer willing to stay quiet or simply “go along.”
If an organization claims to speak for all teachers — it must actually represent all of them.

Whether the AAE chooses to listen remains to be seen.

10/12/2025

10/12/2025

🚨 Radical Left strikes again 🚨
Arkansas Art Educators FB admin (not even a member!) bans CHRISTMAS crafts, pushing “holiday” & “winter” instead.
The org’s president doesn’t even live in America. 🤦‍♂️

This anti-Christian, anti-American group wants to erase tradition from our schools. Parents should be outraged—teachers should BOYCOTT the AAE conference.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

10/12/2025

“Radical Left Tries to Cancel Christmas in Arkansas Schools”

The radical left is at it again—this time targeting something as simple, as innocent, as an art project in our schools. In a post on the Arkansas Art Educators page, an administrator—who, let’s be clear, isn’t even a member of the organization—announced she won’t approve any posts showing Christmas crafts. Teachers are being pressured to water everything down into “holiday crafts” or just bland “winter projects.”

This is the kind of nonsense we’ve come to expect from the woke crowd: erase tradition, erase faith, erase anything that even hints at America’s cultural foundation. They call it “inclusion,” but what it really means is stripping away Christmas from kids’ classrooms to appease a tiny minority of complainers.

And here’s the kicker: the president of Arkansas Art Educators doesn’t even live in the United States anymore. Think about that. The person supposed to represent Arkansas teachers doesn’t even live in Arkansas—or the country. Yet they’re presiding over a group where unelected Facebook moderators push radical left talking points and try to shame teachers for daring to use the word “Christmas.”

Parents and teachers in Arkansas should be furious. Christmas is a federally recognized holiday and a deeply rooted tradition for the vast majority of families in this state. Kids love making ornaments, wreaths, and Christmas drawings. Now we’re told those activities are too offensive?

This is political correctness on steroids. It’s a radical left agenda masquerading as “sensitivity,” and it’s being forced onto teachers who already have enough pressure from administrators and curriculum demands.

The bottom line: if you let the woke radicals erase Christmas from the art room, what will they come for next?

07/26/2025

🚨 OPINION: School Emails, Nonprofit Business — Are Arkansas Art Educators Crossing the Line?

Let me get this straight: public school employees in Arkansas — paid by taxpayers, using taxpayer-funded infrastructure — are listing their school district email addresses on the website of a private nonprofit group, the Arkansas Art Educators?

Take a look: http://www.ararted.org/board-members.html and http://www.ararted.org/council-members.html .

That’s right. A nonprofit organization — one that collects dues, runs conferences, and engages in private financial activity — is conducting its business using publicly funded school email accounts. If that sounds like a misuse of public resources to you, you’re not alone.

Imagine a teacher or administrator using their .k12.ar.us or other district address — the same account used to handle sensitive student information — to organize nonprofit events, negotiate with vendors, and collect money from members. You’d expect that kind of blending of personal interest and public duty to raise red flags. In some states, it already has.

Let’s be clear: school emails are not personal property. They’re not meant for side hustles, private club business, or networking on taxpayer time. They’re tools of public service, funded by you and me, intended for educating kids — not coordinating private-sector conferences.

And let’s not forget the legal angle. In Arkansas, emails sent from public accounts are subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. That means every board vote, every financial detail, every vendor agreement conducted through a school email could potentially be accessed — exposing both the school district and the nonprofit to public scrutiny.

So why hasn’t anyone stepped in?

Where’s the accountability? Where are the district superintendents, the IT directors, the ethics officers — all of whom are supposed to be guarding the line between public duty and private interest?

The following public school districts and charter organizations have employees currently listed with their official school email addresses as nonprofit board contacts for Arkansas Art Educators:
• Fayetteville Public Schools
• Cabot Public Schools
• Little Rock School District
• Drew Central School District
• Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD)
• Atkins School District
• Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock (charter)
• Bentonville School District
• Lake Hamilton School District
• Forrest City School District
• West Side School District (Greers Ferry)
• Rogers Public Schools
• White Hall School District
• Fort Smith Public Schools

This isn’t some obscure footnote. These are real taxpayer-funded systems that now appear tied — at least by email — to a private nonprofit’s business operations. That’s not just questionable. It’s reckless.

Nonprofit board members should use dedicated nonprofit email addresses — simple as that. It’s best practice. It’s transparent. And it protects both the schools and the organizations from serious legal headaches.

Let’s put it plainly: if you’re using your school email to run a private nonprofit, you’re not just blurring the lines — you’re erasing them.

This isn’t a witch hunt. It’s a wake-up call. Public institutions deserve better. Arkansas taxpayers deserve better. And frankly, so do the educators who are trying to do things the right way.

It’s time to clean this up — before a FOIA request or ethics complaint does it for them.

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📣 TAKE ACTION

If you’re a taxpayer in Arkansas and you’re concerned about the use of public school email systems for private nonprofit business, make your voice heard:

✅ Contact the superintendents of the following districts and ask if their policies permit school email addresses to be used for private nonprofit activity:
• Fayetteville Public Schools
• Cabot Public Schools
• Little Rock School District
• Drew Central School District
• Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD)
• Atkins School District
• Exalt Academy of Southwest Little Rock
• Bentonville School District
• Lake Hamilton School District
• Forrest City School District
• West Side School District (Greers Ferry)
• Rogers Public Schools
• White Hall School District
• Fort Smith Public Schools

✅ Email the Arkansas Department of Education: [email protected]
✅ Submit a concern to the Arkansas State Board of Education
✅ Attend local school board meetings and ask about district policy on email use
✅ File a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request if you believe public resources are being misused

Arkansans deserve transparency, accountability, and ethical use of public resources. Let’s raise the bar — and raise our voices.

07/02/2025

🚨 OPINION: Dues Up, Leadership Abroad, and Membership Down — Is Arkansas Art Educators Worth $120 Anymore?

This July, the National Art Education Association (NAEA) hiked its dues by $35, pushing the cost of joining both NAEA and its Arkansas affiliate, Arkansas Art Educators (AAE), to $120 per year. But what exactly are Arkansas teachers getting in return?

Not much — unless you count canceled conferences, recycled content, censorship of speech, and leadership phoning it in from Portugal.

Even worse? Membership is collapsing.

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📉 AAE Membership Nearing Crisis Levels

Current AAE membership is hovering around just 200 statewide — and shrinking. That’s right. In a state with hundreds of eligible members, only about 8% of potential members still consider AAE worth the money.

Let’s do the math:
If 200 represents 8% of the total eligible population, then the pool of potential AAE members is approximately 2,500.

Who are these people?
• 600–800 K–12 art teachers across public and private schools in Arkansas
• Hundreds of university-level art education majors and BFA students
• Retired art teachers who remain active in mentoring or professional development
• Museum educators, nonprofit staff, and teaching artists statewide
• Community arts educators and outreach professionals in public programs

Yet despite this broad, passionate field, AAE can’t even engage 10% of them. And the reason is simple: the organization has lost credibility, relevance, and value.

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💰 What Are Teachers Paying For?

Let’s be clear about what $120 a year now buys Arkansas educators:
• ❌ No Summer Conference: Canceled for 2025, with no alternative for completing PD hours during off-contract time.
• ❌ Fall Conference Repeats: According to retired AAE president Lynn Smith, many proposals for the upcoming Fall Conference are identical to last year’s — a direct contradiction to the promises of “bold rebranding.”
• ❌ Timing That Hurts Teachers: The Fall Conference is held during contract time, meaning most educators must miss class and hire substitutes. Worse, many sessions don’t even count toward required PD hours.
• ❌ National Executive Cash Grab: NAEA Executive Director Mario Rossero earns a staggering $327,000 per year — a 32% increase in just two years — while teachers are asked to pay more for less.
• ❌ Distant, Retired Leadership: AAE’s Acting President hasn’t taught since 2020 and now lives in Portugal. Yet he’s slated to serve in leadership roles through 2030.

This isn’t an art education association anymore — it’s a distant, bloated bureaucracy that treats Arkansas teachers like ATMs.

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🔇 Censorship and Hypocrisy

At last year’s Fall Conference — held during a politically charged election season — AAE posted a sign asking educators to “refrain from political discussions.”

This came as President Donald J. Trump won re-election in a landslide, carrying Arkansas and flipping major swing states. And yet, instead of encouraging dialogue in a state where educators overwhelmingly support conservative values, AAE’s leadership chose censorship.

Let’s be honest: this wasn’t about “professionalism.” It was about controlling the conversation and silencing viewpoints that don’t fit the radical-left agenda taking over arts education nationally.

The irony? These are the same groups who champion “diversity” and “inclusion” — just not for political beliefs that challenge their worldview.

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🧑‍🏫 Leadership in Name Only

It’s one thing for an organization to be struggling. It’s another thing entirely for it to be run from overseas by someone who hasn’t set foot in a classroom since before COVID.

The current AAE Acting President retired in 2020 and now resides in Portugal. Yet he remains in charge of professional development for Arkansas art educators — teachers who are still in the trenches, dealing with budget cuts, discipline issues, and a lack of support.

This level of detachment is not just absurd — it’s insulting.

And let’s not forget, 32% of AAE’s leadership is concentrated in Central Arkansas, leaving educators in rural and underserved communities feeling ignored and unrepresented.

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🆓 Better, Cheaper Alternatives

While AAE increases costs and cancels events, Arkansas universities and education co-ops are stepping up. They offer:
• ✅ Free summer PD sessions
• ✅ In-person and online options
• ✅ Sessions that count toward state licensure
• ✅ Workshops led by active, local educators

No dues. No politics. No Portugal.

If AAE’s goal is to “streamline operations,” teachers should do the same — by cutting AAE out of the equation entirely.

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📢 Time to Walk Away

Arkansas teachers deserve:
• Professional development that’s affordable, relevant, and local
• Leadership that actually lives and works in Arkansas
• Conferences aligned with school calendars and state requirements
• Freedom of expression — not political censorship
• Transparency about how dues are spent and who benefits

So what should teachers do?
• Don’t renew your membership.
• Don’t attend the Fall Conference.
• Ask your school or district not to fund travel or registration.
• Push for local or regional alternatives.
• Demand real leadership and real accountability.

Because right now, AAE is not a professional association. It’s a disconnected, shrinking club propped up by out-of-touch leadership and inflated salaries.

Let your dues — or lack of them — be your protest. Send a message loud and clear:

We are not paying more for less. We are not funding incompetence. We are not being silenced.

Until AAE and NAEA serve teachers again, they don’t deserve another dime.

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🖼️ Arkansas’s art educators create, inspire, and empower students every day.
We deserve an organization that does the same — not one that takes our money, recycles our work, and leads from the other side of the world.

06/29/2025

🚨 OPINION: When Did Supporting the President Become Controversial? 🇺🇸

Some time ago, a post was shared on the Arkansas Art Education News page congratulating President Donald J. Trump on his reelection and expressing support for his presidency.

The response? 🚨 Immediate, vitriolic outrage from liberal commenters who couldn’t handle the idea that not every American shares their contempt for President Trump.

Let’s be clear: supporting the President is not “partisan” — it’s patriotic. 🇺🇸

In what world does a message of encouragement for the nation’s leader deserve to be met with accusations, censorship calls, and personal attacks? Apparently, in the world of modern progressivism — where free speech is only allowed if it aligns with the left’s worldview. ❌

We’re living in a time where some liberals hate Trump so deeply, they openly talk about moving out of the country. ✈️ To that we say: good riddance. 👋
If your love for this nation is so weak that you’d abandon it because of who sits in the Oval Office, then maybe you never understood what being American really means.

✅ True Americans don’t cut and run when things don’t go their way — we stay, we speak up, and we stand for our values. We love our country not because it’s perfect, but because it’s ours. And we hold fast to traditional American values: faith ✝️, family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, freedom 🗽, and the courage to speak truth even when it’s unpopular.

President Trump, like him or not, is the duly elected leader of the United States. 🇺🇸 Acknowledging that fact and offering support should not be controversial. But in today’s climate, Trump Derangement Syndrome 🤯 has twisted basic patriotism into some kind of threat.

These attacks are especially disturbing in the world of education — a field that should champion open dialogue, critical thinking, and respect for differing viewpoints. 📚 Instead, we see attempts to silence and shame those who step outside the progressive echo chamber. 🧠🚫

The same people who preach “diversity” and “tolerance” seem to have no room for diversity of thought, especially if it leans conservative. Where’s the inclusion for educators who believe in personal responsibility, limited government, or secure borders? 🇺🇸🔒

When we reach the point where a simple congratulatory post for the President results in calls for censorship 🚫, we must ask: who are the real extremists?

Let’s remember: Standing by your country and your President isn’t radical — it’s responsible. 💪 And staying silent in the face of cultural bullying isn’t an option.

It’s time for everyday Americans — educators, artists, parents, and patriots — to stop apologizing for loving their country and believing in its core values. If that offends someone, that’s their problem. We won’t be intimidated, and we certainly won’t be moving out. We’re not going anywhere. 🇺🇸🗽

06/28/2025

🚨 OPINION: Chaos, Cancellations, and Rising Costs — Is Arkansas Art Educators Still Worth It?

Friends, what in the world is happening with the Arkansas Art Educators (AAE)? Forget “organizational transition”—what we’re witnessing is a full-blown meltdown. Two recent statements from their leadership aren’t just pulling back the curtain; they’re revealing a deeply troubled organization that appears to be crumbling under the weight of poor planning, rising costs, and shrinking value—leaving dedicated art teachers hung out to dry.

Let’s start with the bombshell that should send shockwaves through every art classroom: the AAE has flat-out canceled its 2025 Summer Conference. Not “postponed,” not “reimagined”—canceled. And they have the audacity to call this a “strategic decision”? Please. That’s the kind of Orwellian doublespeak you’d expect from a failing government agency, not a professional organization. When you cancel a critical event like this, it doesn’t scream “strategy”—it screams utter incompetence and a shocking lack of foresight.

Their excuse? “Organizational transition.” This isn’t transition; it’s a tailspin into irrelevance. They throw around buzzwords like “rebranding,” “internal reorganization,” and “streamlining operational strategies”—designed to obscure the truth: they couldn’t get it together to host a basic conference. What was so fundamentally broken that it required a total shutdown? This isn’t leadership—it’s a masterclass in mismanagement.

Then comes the real insult: “quality assurance.” So, were previous conferences not meeting standards? Were members paying for subpar programming all this time? Either they’re admitting to years of mediocrity, or they’re spinning excuses to mask a meltdown. “Prioritizing impactful programming” sounds noble, but for educators depending on this conference for professional development, it’s code for “we dropped the ball, and you’re stuck paying the price.”

Let’s be clear: summer is when most Arkansas teachers complete their professional development hours. They’re off contract, available, and able to attend without disrupting school. Canceling the summer conference actively undermines their ability to fulfill state requirements. Once school begins, most districts won’t release teachers for off-campus PD, forcing them to miss class, hire substitutes, and ultimately take time from students.

Even worse: many of these fall events don’t even count toward required PD hours, because they occur on contract days. That makes them virtually useless for the very teachers AAE claims to serve.

Now compare that to the alternatives. Universities and co-ops across Arkansas offer free, high-quality summer PD sessions. Meanwhile, AAE charges teachers to attend—even dues-paying members.

And the dues? Thanks to the National Art Education Association’s latest hike, AAE membership now costs $120 per year—after a $35 increase. That’s $120 to belong to an organization that canceled its important event, recycles its content, and offers less and less value with each passing year. What exactly are members paying for—access to mediocrity?

Then there’s AAE’s recent Fall Conference update. In an April 3rd message from Lynn Smith, who retired in 2020 and now lives in Portugal, members were told many proposals were identical to last year’s. So much for “new vision.” While promising bold rebranding and fresh ideas, AAE is recycling content, repeating presenters, and refusing to evolve.

And here’s the kicker—the detail that takes this from mismanaged to absurd: the person overseeing content and proposals for Arkansas teachers isn’t even in the same country. While educators in this state battle real challenges—budget cuts, overcrowded classrooms, and dismal support—the individual helping shape their professional development is supervising Arkansas teachers from 4,500 miles away. That’s not leadership—it’s an insult to the educators on the ground.

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🎯 Call to Action: Don’t Renew. Don’t Attend. Demand Better.

Given the facts laid out here, Arkansas educators should think twice before renewing their AAE membership or attending the 2025 Fall Conference. Here’s why:
• AAE has canceled the only conference that aligns with educators’ availability and contractual schedules.
• The Fall Conference takes place during contract time, which often means it doesn’t count toward required PD hours and causes classroom disruptions.
• Free, high-quality professional development is available through Arkansas universities and co-ops—no membership fees required.
• Membership fees have risen to $120 per year, despite reduced offerings and failed leadership.
• Content at the Fall Conference is recycled from previous years, showing no meaningful growth or innovation.
• The conference is being partially planned and overseen by someone living abroad, with no direct presence or accountability in Arkansas.

AAE needs to hear this message loud and clear: Arkansas’s educators will no longer pay for broken promises, outdated programming, or leadership that’s more interested in image than impact.

It’s time to withhold our dollars and our attendance until the organization proves it can meet the needs of the teachers it claims to serve.

Because right now, the only thing rising faster than the fees… is the frustration.

06/27/2025

🚨 OPINION: Retired AAE Acting President to Lead From Portugal While Arkansas Teachers Face Real Struggles at Home 🚨

Just when Arkansas educators are calling for grounded, in-state leadership, the Arkansas Art Educators (AAE) Acting President has announced plans to continue leading the organization remotely — from Portugal. And here’s the real kicker: he retired in 2020.

That’s right — someone who hasn’t stepped foot in a classroom in over five years is now planning to serve as Acting President, President, and Past President through 2030 — all while living abroad. The announcement was quietly buried in a recent newsletter, likely hoping members wouldn’t notice that the organization’s top leader will now be running things from across the Atlantic.

This stunning decision comes as Arkansas teachers are facing severe budget challenges, shrinking support, and increased demands. But instead of electing someone grounded in the current realities of Arkansas classrooms, AAE’s leadership appears more interested in maintaining power and convenience, even if it means leading from overseas.

Adding to concerns about leadership disconnect, AAE itself admits that most of the leadership team is clustered in one region, with 32% from Central Arkansas — a far cry from a truly representative statewide organization. This raises valid questions about whether the voices and needs of educators in other regions — especially rural and underserved communities — are being fairly heard or addressed.

Meanwhile, dues for the National Art Education Association — which are required for AAE membership — are increasing by $35 in July, pushing annual dues to $120. That’s more financial pressure on hardworking educators, many of whom already pay out-of-pocket for classroom supplies. And all while the organization’s national executive director, Mario Rossero, brings in nearly $300,000 a year, according to public financial filings.

Where’s that money going? Not back into Arkansas classrooms, that’s for sure.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, a sign was prominently displayed at last year’s AAE fall conference during a politically charged election season, requesting that attendees refrain from discussing politics. This request, however, comes off as a disingenuous attempt to silence important conversations and avoid accountability during a politically charged time — raising questions about the organization’s true commitment to transparency and member engagement.

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So let’s recap:
• A retired leader running the organization from Portugal.
• 32% of the leadership team concentrated in Central Arkansas.
• A national association increasing dues by $35 in July, pushing annual dues to $120.
• A conference display instructing educators not to discuss politics.
• And an Arkansas-based membership footing the bill — without representation, transparency, or results.

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📢 Arkansas educators are being taken for granted — and it’s time to push back.

AAE’s leadership is out of touch, out of state, and out of line. Instead of advocating for teachers, it seems focused on protecting its own interests, ignoring members’ needs, and funneling dues into excessive salaries for national executives rather than supporting classroom educators.

Enough is enough.

We urge teachers across Arkansas to boycott the AAE fall conference and refuse to renew their membership. Do not continue paying into an organization that does not reflect your values, represent your region, or fight for your future.

School districts should cut ties.
Educators should walk away.
It’s time for a clean break.

Until AAE is led by people who live and work in Arkansas, who understand the challenges our teachers face, and who are willing to engage in open dialogue — not shut it down — this organization does not deserve another dollar or another day of your trust.