Thursday’s Natchez-Adams School Board meeting quickly devolved into an embarrassing situation for our community.

A school board member levied unfounded accusations of racism against a group of citizens who were attempting to push through a petition that would send the school board’s plans to borrow $9 million to a vote.

Accusations and even threats were hurled across the room.

None of that behavior should have a place in a public discussion of the education of children.

Suffice to say it marked a low point in civility on the school board.

We understand the anger and frustration on both sides of the issues.

School proponents suggest the public school buildings are badly in need of renovation or replacement — and they are. They also contend their plans are the gospel and must be followed exactly, regardless of the costs.

Opponents, including the thousands of citizens who signed the petition, are also frustrated.

They are tired of seeing the struggling district spend more and more taxpayer money without significant improvement or, seemingly, a concern for the public’s will after the plan to borrow money for the building project were handily defeated in a May bond issue.

The blow-up at the board meeting could be a good thing in the long run.

But only if both sides of the debate can set aside their preconceived notions and differences and seek to find common ground.

If nothing is learned, no greater conversation is had as a result of the blow up, shame on our community for simply letting such problems fester, blow up, then begin to fester again. We need to resolve this and move on to improving the community and its public education system.