On Monday a group of local elected and community leaders are expected to come together to discuss a long-standing debate in the community — should school board members be elected or appointed?

The matter has been discussed and bantered around for years.

For years we held the belief that the current system of appointing board members who possessed unique skills and a love for public education was the best option.

The shenanigans in the Natchez-Adams School District over the last few years — from unequal disciplinary handling to mistreatment of teachers and administrators to the current lockdown on communication — have caused us to rethink our position.

The rapid decision by the previous board to quickly renew the superintendent’s contract — ahead of when the deadline was — despite a pending lawsuit was unconscionable.

At this point, we’re willing to roll the dice and put the matter in the hands of the voters, but in doing so, we’re simultaneously frightened of what may occur in the process.

An elected school board — depending upon who steps up to run and how popular the person is — could be a complete disaster. But then again, we’re not far from that now.

Either elected or appointed systems can be made to work, but only if the people who ultimately wind up on the board not only have good common sense, but also possess the character and forthrightness so lacking in the current board.

What’s best for the students? That should be the ultimate determinant for what we choose. If elected districts show better student outcomes then let’s head to the polls. If not, let’s stick with the current structure.