We care about South Arkansas towns where we live and shop.
We also believe in the truth. As many of you know, that's why we started South Arkansas Reckoning to highlight the issues affecting communities and look deeper into them, ultimately finding the truth.
And reporting it.
One of the most vital centers of a small town is its school. In fact, a school serves as a town's heartbeat. That's why we spend a lot of time reporting on schools and even attending and live streaming school board meetings.
We did that very thing Monday night in Sheridan, which is our business' home base. We live streamed the meeting on our Facebook page because concern has been brewing about vapes, especially those with THC in them, specifically alarming that the THC is being found in the intermediate schools. For context that's third to fifth graders.
Let's be clear. Sheridan isn’t alone with students and vapes. Do a search on vapes in schools and lots of articles pop up even in other countries.
In a May 19th special called meeting, Sheridan School District Superintendent Chad Pitts did not have data for the public about THC in vapes in the schools. The nearly two-hour meeting ended with parents and grandparents wanting more information.
Pitts promised to have it at the next regular school board meeting. That meeting was last night – June 9, 2025.
Several people asked if we would live stream that meeting. We decided we would as a public service. A lot of people want to know what is going on in schools but may not have time to dedicate to attending a meeting. Some editors don't even send reporters to cover meetings anymore.
Because the Reckoning attended and went live, we have the scoop of a new situation brewing in the Sheridan School District.
At last night's meeting during the the discussion school board member Wade Crosswhite said a bigger problem than vapes for the district was homeschool.
Watch here.
Crosswhite's comment ignited homeschool parents and students – and our Facebook page.
Many parents left comments stating they now homeschool because their children were bullied in school, saw drug use and more. Rumors circulated Tuesday that parents want a special-called meeting to address the board about Crosswhite's comments about parents who choose homeschool.
Community journalism like this matters – now more than ever. How can you worry about places like Los Angeles when you don't know what is going on in your own backyard? Where we live, work, play and pray obviously matter day in and day out. Parents across the Sheridan district and beyond have taken notice by simply having access in real-time to last night's full meeting.
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