Friday marked a deadline for Selma City Board of Education members to submit any remaining questions about a proposed school closure plan they might have to superintendent of education Don Jefferson. Last Tuesday, during the board’s work session, members debated the plan that would close Byrd Elementary, School of Discovery and the Phoenix School.

But instead of winding down the process toward an ultimate decision — a vote — members seemed even more uncertain about the proposal, even after weeks of discussions, public hearings and mounds upon mounds of data.

Now, school board members will wait for answers from Jefferson and then, in their May work session, again discuss the plan. Throughout this entire process we have criticized the board on some points and complimented them on others.

While we have found some fault in the schools that have been targeted, we have applauded the board’s efforts to gather public input through four public hearings and the diligent focus on making the best decision.But, the time has come for this process to come to an end, and we hope there are no further delays beyond the month of May. Even though the closures, if approved by the board, will not take go into effect until August 2012, the faculty, staff, parents and children deserve as much time as possible to deal with the disappointment of their schools closing and make appropriate plans. If the decision is not to close the schools, the board must have the time to move on to “Plan B,” whatever that might be. This process has gone on long enough and it’s time for it to come to an end regardless of the outcome. We need to move on.