Support Educator Chance Duncan's Fight to Keep His Classroom
Chance Duncan, a respected educator with 18 years of experience, is facing termination from his position at Russellville School District. After a decade of service at Russellville High School—earning accolades, leading student research, and inspiring countless students—his career is in jeopardy. This is a fight not just for his job, but for his ability to continue his life's work. He needs our help to fund legal counsel for a crucial public hearing before the school board on September 25th.
The recommendation for termination stems from a single, isolated incident: a private Facebook post made on his friends-only feed. The post contained a quote from Clarence Darrow: 'I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.' This was shared shortly after the assassination of Charlie Kirk and was interpreted as being in response to it.
Upon realizing the impact of his post, Chance immediately removed it and issued a sincere and public apology. He took full responsibility for his thoughtless words, acknowledging the pain they caused and reaffirming his commitment to the values he teaches in his classroom—empathy, respect, and kindness. In his nearly 18-year career, he has never had any kind of disciplinary action against him—not one written up or termination from any teaching job.
Beyond this single post, Chance’s career has been defined by a deep commitment to his students and a passion for science education. His contributions to the Russellville community and beyond are extensive and well-documented. His achievements include:
- Arkansas's Outstanding Biology Teacher: Selected by the National Association of Biology Teachers in 2020.
- National Advocate for STEM: Accepted into the Society for Science Advocate Program, one of only 100 educators nationwide, to mentor underrepresented students in science research.
- Conservation Pioneer: Russellville High School is believed to be the first secondary institution in the world to successfully breed the critically endangered Louisiana Pine Snake in a classroom setting, a project led by Chance.
- Published Author: Co-authored a book on teaching evolution, sponsored by the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science.
- Teacher Leader: Accepted into the Arkansas Game and Fish's Teacher Leader Council for the 2025-2026 school year to help develop conservation lessons for teachers across the state.
- Dedicated Mentor: In his classroom, he teaches Concurrent Credit Biology, PLTW Medical Interventions, and Pre-AP biology, providing hands-on instruction with live animals and spearheading student research that has earned national recognition.
This termination would not only end his career but also deprive the Russellville community and its students of a brilliant and passionate science teacher. Chance has secured legal counsel to represent him at the upcoming hearing in the hopes of retaining his position. We, his community and colleagues, are now rallying to help him with the financial burden of these legal fees.
Every dollar donated will go directly toward funding Chance's legal defense, giving him a fighting chance to save his career. Your contribution sends a powerful message of support for a dedicated educator who has given so much to our community. Please share this campaign and help us stand with Chance Duncan.
Organizer and beneficiary
Liz Chrisman
Organizer
Dardanelle, AR
Chance Duncan
Beneficiary