Educational Platform Important to Harding Professor/Candidate

Kieth Williams, who is running for District 49 Arkansas State Representative, was kind enough to speak with us on his stance on education. A member of the school board for 10 years at Bald Knob, education is a big part of his platform.

An instructor at Harding, Williams has cut his workload by 1/3 in order to run for office. He said if he wins the election he still plans to keep ties with the university, teaching part-time. "It keeps me connected. If I'm serving down there [as a representative], I need to stay connected with education." 

Williams called himself a "conservative Democrat" and said he and his opponent--Jonathan Dismang-- agree on many social issues. The division between the two occurs when it comes to what he calls the "big business, common person/middle-class division" between Democrats and Republicans. Though they agree on many of the same state issues, Williams said his stance is more on education while his opponent tends to focus on the natural gas industry and the issues dealing with that in White County.

Though many people tend to separate economic issues from educational issues, Williams said it is impossible to do so.

"Teaching in the school of finance, I have a good grasp of the funding formula. I feel like since 60% of the state's budget goes to education, the person that goes down there needs to have an interest in education." Williams said if he is fortunate enough to win, he would love to be a part of the education committee. 

Agriculture is also a primary interest of Williams, who said it directly connects to landowners' rights issues and natural gas. 

When it comes to "No Child Left Behind," Williams finds himself agreeing with the goals, but disagreeing with the methods.

Williams said it has been a stimulus for a lot of good things in education, but lacks common sense in many of the short-term objectives.

As far as the Presidential election goes, Williams said he is frightened by the deficit spending that is going on how it will affect future generations. 

"My prediction is that if our next President does what he needs to do, he's going to be a one-term president. He is going to have to make all of us uncomfortable and do things we are unaccustomed to doing as Americans. I hope he's bold enough to do that."

{Picture above: Candidate Kieth Williams speaks with supporters at the Searcy Dinner Theater. Williams donated refreshments for the party.}

~Ashton Reely