Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “Arkansas is using federal coronavirus relief funds to buy children’s books about the coronavirus for distribution to schools in the state that are produced by a company co-founded by former Gov. Mike Huckabee. The Department of Education inked a $245,300 deal with the Florida-based business EverBright Media to distribute ‘The Kids Guide to Coronavirus’ booklets to Arkansas schools in 2020. The department plans to spend $265,448 in federal funds on updated versions of the books this year, according to a purchase order provided to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette by the department. EverBright Media, whose associated children’s educational material brands include The Kids Guide and Learn Our History, was founded by Huckabee in 2011, according to the Central Arkansas Library System’s Encyclopedia of Arkansas.”
“Education Secretary Johnny Key announced the contract at one of Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s then-daily coronavirus updates in August 2020, saying the books were distributed to every elementary school in the state, both public and private. Kimberly Mundell, spokeswoman for the state Department of Education’s Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, said Key was aware of the connection to Huckabee, who was the state’s governor from 1996 to 2007.”