When voters go to the polls in November to elect the House representative for District 47, they will do so with plenty of information.

Charles Graham, a Democrat seeking his sixth term, has a history as a legislator that should inform voters, and his opponent, Olivia Oxendine, a Republican, is giving voters plenty of information on how she would perform as a legislator.

The wild card in all this is that redistricting has reshaped District 47, giving Graham a slightly different constituency.

But to the point of today’s Our View: Oxendine, perhaps by no choice, has become a key figure in an effort, stymied so far, to locate a charter school in Pembroke that would target American Indian students, although it would be open to all races.

Oxendine, an educator, as was Graham, is a member of the State Board of Education, and in that role was a key figure last year as the Board of Education for the Public Schools of Robeson County voted to close some schools and consolidate others, a decision, unpopular with many, that appears to have extricated the system from a $2 million budget hole.

Oxendine and other state officials acted primarily in an advisory role, their work done in the dark. But be clear, it was key, and the reason the school board, after at first balking at closing schools and consolidating others, shortly afterward did just that.

The State Board of Education recently rejected an application for the establishment of Old Main STREAM Academy, which organizers say is necessary locally to give American Indian students an academic option. They note that American Indian students trail their peers in the classroom, and the academy, which would focus on science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and mathematics, could kick aside obstacles and provide a better future.

The board, in rejecting the application, cited several issues, including what Oxendine characterized as problems in the curriculum, particularly reading and math, and concerns about the academy’s readiness to move into a facility for the upcoming school year.

But the headline was the board’s concern that Red Pedagogy too strongly influenced the curriculum. Red Pedagogy takes the position that America’s original sin was genocide against American Indians.

Oxendine called it “radical,” while other board members said it was wrapped in “communism.” The board also took the position that there was little evidence in the curriculum of what does in fact make America a great country.

Oxendine is also concerned about the possibility of siphoning off 450 students from a school system that has seen a decline in population, primarily because two hurricanes chased away many families, but also because parents are pulling their students from public schools in favor of other options as school choice becomes more abundant. Remember, state funding would follow the students to the charter school, which is a public school, and that could further hamstring the local system financially.

We favor school choice, especially in a county such as ours where too many at-risk students don’t have options. We presume that Oxendine, as a Republican, does as well, which makes her position — so far at least — perhaps contrary.

We are hopeful that the issues the state has with the academy can be worked out to everyone’s satisfaction as we see this charter school as offering hope to students and their families who too often have none or little.

Less important, but what will be interesting to observe, is how this conversation will affect the race for District 47.