LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Heated debates continued at Thursday's fourth Little Rock School District meeting as hundreds of teachers and parents beg for the state to bring back local control.
After three nights of heated conversation, the fourth LRSD meeting ended without disruption.
"I'm glad that we had an opportunity to hear the public and hear them clearly, without distraction," Charisse Dean said.
Charisse Dean is the vice chair of the Arkansas State Board of Education. She said she wants to hear from even more parents and teachers. She said she is seeing too many of the same people coming up to talk each night.
"I'm hoping that more people with diverse opinions and ideas and solutions will come forward," Dean said.
Dean said although these meetings can get heated, she wants everyone to remember what they are about.
"It's about our kids. It's about my kids and it's about Little Rock's kids," Dean said.
Victoria Smith's daughter has dyslexia in the ninth grade and is reading at a third grade level. She said the state board and LRSD have failed her daughter.
"This year she's at home and I'm doing her home school. That costs me $1,500 a month out of my own pocket," Smith said.
Smith said she feels the board is not listening to what parents have to say.
"I want LRSD to give back a board that's caring and willing to listen to our struggling readers and parents that want to help their children succeed," Smith said.
Dean says the board is taking notes and wants to continue having conversations with parents and teachers.
"It's to get the heartbeat of the community. It's to hear the community on how we get LRSD back to local control and what that looks like," Smith said.
The next public meeting with the board is September 3 at the Arkansas Department of Education auditorium.