Of all community institutions, the public schools system must maintain dependable, credible communications with students, parents and the civic body.
Schools, after all, receive the lion's share of property taxes as well as being the guardians for most of the day of a community's children.
So, it was something of a rude shock that the Blaine County School District board of trustees decided abruptly to change some school hours to begin a half-hour earlier, as well as altering school bus routes.
Few will quibble with the decision's objectives—to trim unnecessary and tiring travel time on buses for students, as well as enhance their safety.
However, in making their decision, school officials focused on the letter of the law requiring public notice of the meeting where the crucial decision was made, but not the spirit of the law that common sense suggested required extra effort to notify the community.
As a result, parents unaware of the public notices posted here and there were caught totally off guard by news they had to board children on buses earlier and to worry about their earlier arrival home.
This is especially burdensome for working parents who've made arrangements based on known bus and class schedules decided earlier.
Now, some family routines have been thrown into chaos, perhaps requiring unanticipated expenses to provide afternoon special care for early returning children.
The school board's decision was poorly handled. Even parent-teacher groups normally briefed complain of being left out of this process.
Parents, students and the community deserve better.
