In Greene County, hundreds of children are skipping school to send a political message to school system administrators.

Parents are holding children out of school in order to protest school security, financial problems, and other concerns. The decision to pull children out of school to make a point is a poor one. It is a decision that will benefit neither side.

There are much better means to protest and object. There is nothing wrong with questioning government and the institutions funded by taxpayer money. It is often a healthy process that leads to constructive change.

Meeting with leaders, attending school board sessions, and even picketing are accepted means of bringing about change.

But the decision to take children out of school to prove a point is a poor decision. This decision robs children of the chance to learn while it also impacts the school district financially. Surely the parents involved understand that lower school enrollment leads to decreased funding for the school system.

Lower funding will mean even worse conditions at the schools and only intensify the problems that already exist.

Both the Selma and Dallas County school systems have faced their share of challenges. We are grateful that citizens here have not deliberately pulled students from school in order to gain political leverage or to force change.

There are far better and effective means to bring about change and a child’s education should never be threatened when adults quarrel and bicker.