The discussion — or perhaps debate is a better word — surrounding the Sea to Sky School District’s calendar for the 2009-’10 school continues, and likely won’t abate anytime soon.

As with any issue — global warming, abortion, same-sex marriage — even a decision such as what we saw last week from the district’s Board of Trustees doesn’t end that discussion. It merely serves as a watershed moment and reference point for future discussion.

But there comes a point when those responsible for making such decisions have to weigh all the evidence and exercise that responsibility. The discussion surrounding the closure of Whistler Secondary School has now taken place off and on for more than two years. With the Games only nine months away, it seems to us that those seeking to convince trustees to reconsider their decision have precious little time to make their case — if they have any time at all.

The problem, it seems to us, is that parents and school staff appear to be at odds over the best way to minimize disruption to the educational process posed by the Games. We say “appear” because, while 116 family responses to a hastily prepared survey with short timelines is a laudable achievement, it still doesn’t represent the feelings of a clear majority of students and prospective students for the 2009-’10 school year. And even if one accepts the survey as the voice of parents, parents’ voices aren’t the only ones to whom trustees must listen and respond.

In an editorial three weeks ago, we expressed disappointment that District 48 and Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) officials weren’t able to reach agreement on the use of Whistler Secondary or other corridor schools during the Games. Given the fact that those negotiations weren’t resolved until a mere 10 months before the Games, it’s not surprising that its resolution has prompted a flurry of new school-calendar discussion and requests.

We expect that VANOC’s role in the matter will continue to be part of the ongoing debate. However, most of the talk now should focus on how best to maximize the Games’ benefits and minimize their impact on the educational process, not on pointing fingers.

Unfortunately, despite everyone’s best effort to put together something to help working parents care for their youngsters during the Games, nothing concrete has yet materialized — leading to the very real prospect that those parents will be on their own. While decision time for the school board may have passed, perhaps it’s not too late — given the still-real possibility that someone other than VANOC might rent out one or more of the schools — that working together, leaders and the community will be able to help out those most in need.

•••

Local newspaper headlines before and after previous May long weekends in Whistler included those that read, “Taking back the Village,” and “Rowdiness prompts call to action.”

In June 2006, some 130 people attended a meeting at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler to discuss formulas and strategies aimed at curbing past violence and intimidation of resort guests by groups of young rowdies on the Victoria Day long weekend.

While it’s probably too early, after just one May long weekend that was described as “subdued,” to say the resort has it dialed, it seems we’ve now got the makings of a recipe for success, and it involves cooperation and communication among all involved — the RCMP, hotels, bars and nightclubs and municipal officials.

Police, especially, deserve thanks for having brought in extra resources and having deployed them wisely. Here’s to a similar level of cooperation and diligence during similar situations and events in the future — perhaps including a family-oriented event in the Village beginning with Victoria Day weekend 2010.