On AR Watch is a project of For AR People, a left-of-center nonprofit organization based in Arkansas. On AR Watch attempts to expose elected officials in Arkansas, condemning officials for supporting conservative policies. ^{1 2}

On AR Watch has advocated in support of liberal policies on LGBT issues and labeled conservative policies on LGBT issues as “extremist.” It has applied the labels to and condemned school board members who support policies that would require students to use restrooms based on their sex at birth and removing books from school libraries that discuss LGBT relationships. ^{3 4}

Background

On AR Watch is a liberal project of the Arkansas-based For AR People. It describes itself as a watchdog of local and state elected officials for Arkansas. ⁵

For AR People is a left-of-center nonprofit organization formed in 2020 that reports on Arkansas politics. For the 2022 midterm election, For AR People released a voter guide, recommending voters vote against ballot measures allowing legislators to call themselves into sessions, raising the minimum vote share to pass ballot initiatives, and introducing legislation that would allow individuals to claim religious exemption from government actions. ⁶ It also opposes election integrity laws, condemning policies introduced in Arkansas that would implement measures to secure elections. ⁷

Activities

In August 2022, On AR Watch posted a blog post criticizing Arkansas Republicans choosing to cut taxes rather than increasing teachers’ salaries. The post also advocates for increasing spending on social food and housing programs. ⁸

In September 2022, On AR Watch categorized a group of Republican school board candidates as “extremist” for being endorsed by Moms for Liberty and holding specific conservative values. It claimed that “these groups and candidates want to divide us, hijack teachers’ expertise, and create a sort of pseudo-theocracy for our public education system” because the candidates claimed teachers should be able to fail students and condemned schools that allegedly indoctrinate students. On AR Watch also claims the group is extremist for opposing mask mandates, claiming social emotional learning is communist, and seeking to ban books in schools that discuss transgender and LGBT identities. ⁹

In October 2022, On AR Watch posted a blog post condemning the Conway school board for its policies on LGBT issues, describing them as vile and harmful. The board required that students use the restroom based on their sex at birth and moved to remove books from school libraries that discussed LGBT relationships, claiming the specified books are inappropriate. ^{10 11}

Watchlist

On AR Watch maintains a watch list of Arkansas legislators, categorizing them as “collaborators” or “obstructors.” As of December 2022, the list contains only 12 of the state’s senators and house members, all of whom are Republican members. The list includes justification for each member’s designation and editorializes the legislators’ policies, condemning fiscal and social conservative positions. ¹²

1. “Arkansas Voter Guide.” For AR People Action, October 10, 2022. https://forarpeople.org/arkansas-voter-guide/.
2. “OAW Watch List.” On AR Watch, August 10, 2021. https://onarwatch.org/watch-list-2/.
3. “Extremist Group Pushes Bentonville School Board Candidates.” On AR Watch, September 30, 2022. https://onarwatch.org/extremist-group-pushes-bentonville-school-board-candidates/.
4. “Is Vile School Board Policy Coming to a District near You?” On AR Watch, October 13, 2022. https://onarwatch.org/vile-school-board-policy-coming-to-a-district-near-you/.
5. “About.” On AR Watch, August 6, 2020. https://onarwatch.org/about/.
6. “Arkansas Voter Guide.” For AR People Action, October 10, 2022. https://forarpeople.org/arkansas-voter-guide/.
7. “Protect AR Voter Rights!” For AR People Action, June 9, 2021. https://forarpeople.org/voter_rights/.
8. “Tax Cut and Run.” On AR Watch, August 18, 2022. https://onarwatch.org/tax-cut-and-run/.
9. “Extremist Group Pushes Bentonville School Board Candidates.” On AR Watch, September 30, 2022. https://onarwatch.org/extremist-group-pushes-bentonville-school-board-candidates/.
10. “Is Vile School Board Policy Coming to a District near You?” On AR Watch, October 13, 2022. https://onarwatch.org/vile-school-board-policy-coming-to-a-district-near-you/.
11. Horbacewicz, Sarah. “Conway School District Issues Anti-Trans Policies, Community Reacts.” thv11.com, October 12, 2022. https://www.thv11.com/article/news/education/conway-school-board-transgender-bathroom-use/91-8846f49c-4607-4718-8861-b6a9830582f7
12. “OAW Watch List.” On AR Watch, August 10, 2021. https://onarwatch.org/watch-list-2/.