Members of the Mississippi House sent a clear message to the state’s children this week — &uot;do as I say, not as I do.&uot; Our children constantly hear the message that improving their education is important — even vital — to their future. But this week, the House missed a wonderful opportunity to bolster that belief and improve the quality of justice throughout the state at the same time.

On Monday, the House reversed its position on raising the educational bar for our justice court judges. And in doing so, we think they sent a mixed message to our children.

Only two weeks after voting to change the state constitution to allow new rules for justice court judges, the House let a plan die that would have done that. The plan would have allowed voters to decide if legislators should be allowed to set the judges’ qualifications.

What’s worse is that the measure didn’t come up for a vote.

Currently, justice court judges are only required to have a high school diploma. The amendment would have given voters the opportunity to let lawmakers raise that requirement.

While we don’t think justice court judges should necessarily be required to be attorneys, what harm would it do to increase the educational requirement?

Existing judges who wouldn’t meet the new requirement could have simply been grandfathered in under the new system.

Although the cases that justice court judges are misdemeanors, they still have the right to incarcerate people and even seize property.

We think making the educational requirements a little stricter only makes sense. How else can we attract the best folks for the position?

Passing the bill was a perfect opportunity to change things for the better.

But apparently a combination of ignorance, apathy and fear of the ramifications caused lawmakers to let that opportunity pass — unrealized.