Much has been said in our Rants and Raves column recently about public education in our community. Some pro. Some con.

Obviously any public system endeavor as well as private venues can always use improvements as time and resources allow.

That said, let us reiterate points we have made in this column before.

We have many dedicated professionals who convey knowledge to our children. Many of them have been recognized at various levels where accolades are pronounced. Hats off to them.

As well, we have many students who excel in a broad array of academic disciplines and go on to expand their knowledge in higher education institutions. 

We have many students involved in projects related to both their academics and their social relationships with the community. They have been routinely highlighted on our news pages.

We recognize that some youngsters come to school better equipped to learn than others, perhaps of no fault of their own. Often this has to do with their home environment or socio-economic factors. In that regard, we have mentors in our community who devote many hours in efforts to fill those gaps. We praise them for their compassion, energy and devotion to improving our community as a whole. They approach these challenges, embracing the concept that our most valuable natural resources are our children.

Someone said recently in our public forum on this page that if a child comes to school earnestly seeking knowledge, it will happen. Yes it will happen because of dedicated teachers and administrators.

The schools belong to all of us — the teachers, the students and the public. We all have a vested interest in the well being of our education system.

That said, remember that the school board is a public entity. The public can attend those meetings. One can listen, ask questions and offer ideas — maybe gain greater understanding of issues. We  suggest greater public turnout for these meetings. That involvement would benefit both the school board and the public.