During the ongoing debate over the funding formula for Mount Desert Island High School, several educators have hinted that some critics in the town of Mount Desert might try to sabotage the school’s budget when it goes to a public vote early next month.

Certainly Mount Desert officials and impassioned residents understand that damaging the high school’s ability to provide a quality education to children from every town on MDI, including Mount Desert, would serve no useful purpose. If anything, it would probably tend to alienate people to their cause.

In the past, fiscally conservative crusaders have attempted to make major cuts in the high school budget including one year in which a Bar Harbor man moved to cut $200,000 in one fell swoop. Fortunately for the continued health of the island’s only post-elementary school, that effort failed.

Traditionally, turnout at the February budget meeting is low. Some years last-minute phone calls have been made to ensure that there was at least one resident of each town present in order to have a quorum. With a low turnout it would be relatively easy for a small, dedicated group to cause major havoc. The best defense, of course, is for people on the other side of the issue to show up in sufficient strength to prevail in the final vote.

We understand the frustration of Mount Desert officials who have been rebuffed at every turn in their quest to change the funding formula. While their concerns deserve further public discussion and consideration, we believe that Mount Desert officials understand full well that the last place they should be taking out their frustrations is on the island’s youth.