SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Educators rallied on July 9 in Springdale advocating against laws being passed restricting what they can teach.

State lawmakers across the country are introducing bills to ban schools from teaching about the role of racism, sexism, and other oppression in U.S. history.

Rally organizer Jared Middleton says they want to teach honest history.

“We learn from the past to understand our present in order for us to move forward collectively in a positive fashion,” Middleton said. “If we get one person to see the signs and just think and put into consideration what does it mean about true history or honest history, what does that mean?”

Similar laws have been passed in Arkansas. In 2021, Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a law banning training for state agencies and employees that includes critical race theory or any other race-related topic. Similar measures have been introduced in Missouri and Oklahoma.