More than 400 parents, residents and stakeholders came forth March 10 to tell the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board in one loud voice, “Don’t close Big Park Community School.”

Since publicized a mere five months ago, Big Park supporters, teachers, parents, taxpayers and neighbors have said the closure is terrible, horrible, no good, very bad idea, and now the public has confirmed that as a whole uniformly.

Following the meeting, board President Zachary Richardson told a parent via email he “was up all night totally perplexed and emotionally upset.”

Good — that was the intent. Residents refuse to let the school close and any official who tries to disobey voters should lose sleep.

The board must obey the public’s will to do whatever is necessary to keep Big Park open — work on private-public partnerships, shift financial resources, terminate or cut salaries of administrators starting with the overpaid superintendent — anything except closing Big Park.

For example, close the district office and move staff to an empty school classroom: “At the time the building was [built] to accommodate 12 employees, which seemed ridiculous. Now there are only 4 to 5 employees in that building,” Richardson wrote to a parent.

By sending the question to the public, the board wanted community feedback, which it received for more than 3½ hours of passionate public comment. It appears the meeting may have swayed board member John D. Miller, who wrote to a parent, “I think with the level of awareness having been raised as it was, we now have a chance to succeed at keeping a vibrant and successful elementary school in Big Park.”

We hope Miller keeps his word and joins board members Bobbie Surber and Karen McClelland in voting against closure.

The public must step up the pressure before the vote on Tuesday, March 22, so that the other board members do not forget what the public said on March 10.

One parent reminded board member Tommy Stovall that he educated his child at Big Park even though he lives in Sedona proper. To close Big Park now that Stovall’s child has matriculated to Sedona Red Rock High School would be beyond hypocritical.

Surely no school board member willingly wants to close Big Park. In fact the opposite: “I have two businesses in the Big Park school district. Though my first priority is the students, for personal reasons, I would want to keep the school open,” Richardson wrote. “Closing a community school goes against everything I have ever believed in. It is one thing to read about schools closing in other districts, but when it is our hometown, it does not sit well.”

If these statements are true and not mere lip service, then Richardson needs to stand to his word and not just vote against closure, but be the board member who makes the motion to cancel the potential school closure once and for all. The rest of the board should leap at the option to second the motion.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Richardson wrote, and now he must act to save the school. If he does not, then he was untruthful with a parent and a constituent and he needs to resign. Call him at (928) 451-2343 to demand he listen to voters and save Big Park.

In a republic, elected officials’ sole duty is to serve the will of their constituents. The constituents have spoken. These officials cannot vote against the will the people. The board must vote 5-0 to keep Big Park open. If any board member cannot bring themselves to vote to save Big Park, there is no shame in resigning.

The students of Big Park don’t care about politics, or posturing or pride.

They just want their school.