Some Adams County residents may believe the ongoing legal battles between a small group of citizens and the Natchez-Adams School District are wastes of time and money, but we believe taking such disputes to court is sometimes the best option.

Legal actions filed by Adams County resident Kevin Wilson and others have attempted to stop and question whether or not the Natchez-Adams School Board acted properly or not in 2017.

The school board, Wilson alleges, failed to properly work the details of a decision to borrow large sums of money to renovate and replace schools in the district.

Although Wilson took the lead on filing the lawsuit, he represents a large segment of the community — and a majority of voters — who did not like the “all or nothing” approach to the school improvement plans as put forth on the ballot referendum.

Not all of the people who voted down the ballot issue were against supporting the public schools, but many were just prudent spenders who were hopeful the district would address building needs in smaller chunks over time, rather than all at once.

That’s why the referendum was defeated.

But things went from bad to worse when the school district simply ignored the voters’ choice and instead simply found another way to find the funding against the will of the people.

Before the school district moved forward with its plans, we urged them to instead backup, regroup and re-engage in a conversation with the people who voted down the referendum.

Instead, they simply pushed forward their own agenda; voters will be damned.

That frustration was what has led to the months and months of legal wranglings. Had public school officials simply listened to the public they serve, the whole mess could have been avoided. Now it will be in the hands of a judge.