By HDN Editorial Board
Four school districts to the west of Havre are taking up the very sticky, sensitive and serious issue of consolidation.
It's way too soon to predict how those districts will decide. But KG, J-I, Chester and Blue Sky are seriously confronting the realities of slipping enrollment and funding, and the tight-fisted approach our Legislature brings to educating our children.
The four school boards could decide to stay with the current configuration. Or they could choose to combine administrations and leave all local schools open. They could turn four school districts into two or combine all four into one geographically large district.
It's possible that some people will lose their current schools. That hurts. Schools in rural areas provide a great sense of community and loyalty.
In this process, it is essential that the school boards provide ample opportunity for local people to register their views. And the boards must seriously listen to their statements.
Every step of this process must be conducted openly and with plenty of public dissemination of what's being considered, and plenty of formal opportunities for people to speak.
