Editorial: Images of new academic year remind us of the responsibilities, successes of our schools

This editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board

For thousands of families across the suburbs, this is a bittersweet time of year. Bitter, because it marks the rapidity with which our children march toward adulthood. Sweet, because it is such a joy to see them grow.

During the past week, Daily Herald photographers have repeated a seasonal ritual of chronicling the smiles and tears of this passage. The excitement. The trepidation. The connections to family. The reconnections to friends.

They are such important pictures.

For, they remind us of a truth that can too easily be overshadowed by the political and social wranglings that also inevitably surge and ebb throughout the school year, the truth that, whatever its imperfections, our public school system, especially here in the suburbs, does a tremendous job of nurturing our children and preparing them - to the degree anyone can really be prepared - for the unpredictable challenges that await.

The past two years have been especially fraught with anxiety, for students and parents alike. The pandemic disrupted our education system as no other force could do. It made teaching and learning harder. It pitted parents against each other and filled school board meetings with understandably emotional crowds, struggling to navigate a crisis without precedent or guidebook.

To be sure, some of the emotions got out of hand, and threats and pressures heaped on teachers and school leaders caused lasting harm. But, the damage is not insurmountable, and those bittersweet images remind us of our responsibility and emphasize our mission.

We haven't put the pandemic entirely behind us, of course, and school personnel - if not the rest of us as well - are all too aware that vigilance and resourcefulness will be needed to guide students back to the safe and familiar routines of the past.

And, new controversies loom in the political wings - the history of race in America and sex education, in particular, not to mention school budgets and the taxes that fund them - promising new eruptions and conflicts.

But we have overcome such eruptions and conflicts in the past. Indeed, to some extent every district grapples with similar challenges every year. It's one of the reasons these leaders deserve our respect and gratitude.

Theirs is no easy task.

Over the course of nearly two centuries, public education has become a driving force in America, helping make the country a global leader in innovation, business and quality of life for its citizens. Yes, some other societies now also do it well, some even better; but, our model steers us ever toward improvement, as communities, community leaders, parents, educators and students themselves strive constantly to better understand what children need to learn and how to teach it.

That is the message of this time of year. That - the welcoming teachers and administrators, the bouncing steps of children, the tender hugs of parents - is what we see in these many images of the new school year. That is what will linger long after the controversies have passed.