When it comes to state politics Republicans are often a voice of reason.

That isn’t the case when it comes to the state Board of Regents emergency order for school districts to submit regionalization plans to the state Education Department.

Part of the problem is the state Board of Regents, as it is wont to do, did a horrible job explaining what it actually wants. The Regents didn’t speak about the emergency order during the meeting where it was passed, leaving a general public that is typically skittish about regionalism or potential consolidation to let its collective mind run wild at the idea of what the regionalization plans actually entail.

Consider that we were critical of the emergency order for not being strong enough. Many area school districts are already doing what it appears the Board of Regents order is requiring by sharing transportation coordinators, administrative staff and programs. We can already see, though, that there will come a time when costs or lack of qualified staff force further sharing. Republicans are somehow convinced the orders mean forced school consolidation, with Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola, proposing S.9944 to block any state-mandated regionalization policies or plans as proposed by the state Board of Regents or state Education Department. The Regents could have headed this off with a better public explanation of what it was pursuing – or, frankly, any explanation at all.

Republicans’ opposition makes little sense, though, if it is the party of limited government and fiscal responsibility. The party is quick to criticize the state for spending the most money of any state in the nation on education, but then recoils at any effort to rein in that spending. Efforts to right-size the state’s Foundation Aid formula for schools to better reflect population trends and actual need has been met with pitchforks at every turn – from both Democrats and Republicans. Now, Republicans’ reaction to a milk-toast attempt at education cost leadership resembles a child who gets brussel sprouts on their plate. The problem is we as a society need to eat our brussel sprouts when it comes to school consolidation. Republicans and Democrats alike keep feeding us ice cream sundaes and then wonder why we spend so much on education while getting so little.

We have long criticized the state’s lack of leadership in right-sizing education in this state. Spending the most of any state on education, only to see the quality of that same education continue to decrease, is not a badge of honor. Yet Republicans are fighting for a status quo that largely fails students and is bankrupting the state at the same time. What we’re seeing from Republicans on this issue isn’t leadership – it’s opposition for opposition’s sake that isn’t helping anyone.