Vote Today

The most important school board election in Northwest Arkansas is the Fayetteville Zone 4 election. Only 84 voters participated in the early voting process, so turnout today will be crucial. There are also contests in Gentry, Lincoln, and Elkins, and millage increases on the ballot in Gentry and Pea Ridge

The Northwest Arkansas Times, house organ for the Chamber of Commerce and the Fayetteville Economic Development Council, is pushing Mary Lynn Mantooth, who seems ready to abandon Fayetteville High School and ignore the benefits to students of proximity to the University of Arkansas, the Walton Arts Center, and the Fayetteville Public Library. That makes the Chamber crowd happy, because new construction on the outskirts of town will be a boon to developers turning farmland into subdivisions and the taxpayers will be footing the bill for infrastructure. That's why it is not surprising that the developers' candidate has hired a Republican political consultant and reported raising $2,251 as of last week -- almost three times the amount of contributions to Becky Purcell, who favors a central location for the high school and reported raising only $814.

The location of the future high school is an important issue, but it is not the only issue. Becky Purcell, who holds a masters degree in education, is an engaging woman who seeks facts and opinions and gives them thoughtful consideration. If you watched any of the "debates" on the government and educational cable channels, you saw the difference between an open mind and a practiced response. Becky Purcell has shown a commitment to the intellectual freedom and diversity of ideas that is at the core of critical thinking and an excellent education for our children. That approach has provided a richness of experience and produced an outstanding record of educational achievement for our students. Her opponent is backed by the same crowd that would have purged books from the library and ignored the professional judgment of trained librarians.

The polls are open at Sequoyah Methodist Church on Old Wire and Trinity Methodist Church at Garland and Sycamore until 7:30 this evening. Don't tell us that one vote doesn't make a difference, and don't let the same crowd buy the future of Fayetteville. Call to remind your friends, give someone a ride, and vote for Becky Purcell and the best interest of our children.