Ark. Code Ann. § 6-17-124: Implicit bias training - Definitions

(a) A school shall not: (1) Require a school employee to complete or participate in implicit bias training; or (2) Take adverse employment action against a school employee for the school employee's failure or refusal to complete or participate in implicit bias training. (b) The State Board of Education shall not require an individual who is seeking to obtain or renew an educator license to complete or participate in implicit bias training as a requirement for: (1) Obtaining or renewing an educator license; or (2) Professional development. (c) (1) A school employee may leave a training that the school employee is attending if the school employee determines that the training addresses implicit biases. (2) A school employee who leaves a training under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall have no recourse due to the school employee's exposure to training that the school employee determines addresses implicit biases. (d) As used in this section: (1) "Implicit bias training" means a training or educational program designed to expose an individual to biases that the training's or educational program's developer or designer presumes the individual to unconsciously or unintentionally possess that predispose the individual to be unfairly prejudiced in favor of or against a thing, person, or group to adjust the individual's pattern of thinking in order to eliminate the individual's unconscious or unintentional bias or prejudice; and (2) "School" means: (A) A public school or public school district; or (B) An open-enrollment public charter school. Added by Act 2023, No. 511,§ 1, eff. 8/1/2023.

(a) A school shall not: (1) Require a school employee to complete or participate in implicit bias training; or (2) Take adverse employment action against a school employee for the school employee's failure or refusal to complete or participate in implicit bias training.

(1) Require a school employee to complete or participate in implicit bias training; or

(2) Take adverse employment action against a school employee for the school employee's failure or refusal to complete or participate in implicit bias training.

(b) The State Board of Education shall not require an individual who is seeking to obtain or renew an educator license to complete or participate in implicit bias training as a requirement for: (1) Obtaining or renewing an educator license; or (2) Professional development.

(1) Obtaining or renewing an educator license; or

(2) Professional development.

(c) (1) A school employee may leave a training that the school employee is attending if the school employee determines that the training addresses implicit biases. (2) A school employee who leaves a training under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall have no recourse due to the school employee's exposure to training that the school employee determines addresses implicit biases.

(1) A school employee may leave a training that the school employee is attending if the school employee determines that the training addresses implicit biases.

(2) A school employee who leaves a training under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall have no recourse due to the school employee's exposure to training that the school employee determines addresses implicit biases.

implicit biases.

(1) A school employee may leave a training that the school employee is attending if the school employee determines that the training addresses implicit biases.

(2) A school employee who leaves a training under subdivision (c)(1) of this section shall have no recourse due to the school employee's exposure to training that the school employee determines addresses implicit biases.

(d) As used in this section: (1) "Implicit bias training" means a training or educational program designed to expose an individual to biases that the training's or educational program's developer or designer presumes the individual to unconsciously or unintentionally possess that predispose the individual to be unfairly prejudiced in favor of or against a thing, person, or group to adjust the individual's pattern of thinking in order to eliminate the individual's unconscious or unintentional bias or prejudice; and (2) "School" means: (A) A public school or public school district; or (B) An open-enrollment public charter school.

(1) "Implicit bias training" means a training or educational program designed to expose an individual to biases that the training's or educational program's developer or designer presumes the individual to unconsciously or unintentionally possess that predispose the individual to be unfairly prejudiced in favor of or against a thing, person, or group to adjust the individual's pattern of thinking in order to eliminate the individual's unconscious or unintentional bias or prejudice; and

(2) "School" means: (A) A public school or public school district; or (B) An open-enrollment public charter school.

(A) A public school or public school district; or

(B) An open-enrollment public charter school.