A man who is running as a Democrat for governor of Arkansas this year outlined what he stood for on Monday.
Jared Henderson was one of the speakers at the Democratic Party of Sebastian County's meeting at the West Room at Riverfront Park Monday night. Henderson announced he would run for governor in December.
Henderson detailed his background, as well as the three main issues of his campaign. One issue dealt with education. While Henderson was in business school, he met people who had worked at the Teach for America program for a few years. He said if anyone had asked him what one of the most important opportunities and imperatives in society is before he met with these teachers, it was obvious to him that a strong public education system was key.
"What these teachers helped me understand that I did not get in my background ... was that if you are a child growing up in or near poverty, if you are growing up in a community that, for one reason or another, doesn't have quite a few adults that have been to and through college, if you are living and dealing with the day-to-day applications of poverty, chances are our education system does not work for you," Henderson said. "You can work hard, and you may get through, you may realize your full potential, but if you just look at the numbers, the odds are against you. ... We live in the United States of America. It shouldn't be that way."
Henderson said he had been at Teach for America for the last six years, having left after this last school year. He believes it should be a goal that in 10 years, Arkansas is the best state in the country to be a public school teacher.
"I think that needs to be the centerpiece of our education focus," Henderson said.
Henderson answered questions from the audience after speaking.