EDITORIAL:

It’s tough to tell when the John Briscoe vs. the Ocean View School District feud began, but it’s quickly veering into Rosie vs. Barbara territory. In other words, it’s silly, petty and the school board members are embarrassing themselves.

Perhaps it started just before Christmas, of all times, when Briscoe got into a goofy spat with the school district over his website, www.oceanviewschooldistrict.org. What was the issue? Well, school officials were alarmed that his website used the district’s logos and other graphics that might confuse some folks that his website was the district’s official domain. That’s fair enough. Briscoe’s entitled to his opinion, but it ought to be clear to everyone that he’s speaking for himself and not the district.

But that appears to be the central issue in this petty family feud. Briscoe’s not shy about sharing his opinions and likes to send out news releases broadcasting them. Remember, he was a central critic of former Supt. Karen Colby who was forced out just days after Briscoe took his oath of office in December 2006.

At any rate, district officials apparently don’t want Briscoe wandering too far off the reservation. It’s not uncommon for public school districts to centralize the message and let the superintendent be the main messenger. So this is a classic case of the outsider critic who managed to get elected and now, as an insider, works to bend district leaders to his will. We have no problem with that — that’s democracy and we’re blessed to have it as our system of government.

When it gets counterproductive, though, is in the picking of the battles.

When Briscoe ran for the school board he campaigned on themes such as improving declining enrollment, and deteriorating school buildings, playgrounds and classroom equipment.

Instead we have Briscoe sounding the alarms about browser cookies on the district’s websites. And now he wants School Board President Debbie Cotton censured. Why? Because he says she violated district rules when she put something on the school board agenda.

The school board members, clearly fed up with him, decided to form a “litigation committee” that included everyone on it but Briscoe. Nyah, nyah.

There’s an old expression parents lean on when their children squabble: It takes two to tango.

School board member Norm Westwell put it best when he pleaded for a time-out.

“In my personal experience I have been the outsider in various debates over public policy,” Westwell said. “I know that can be difficult and very trying. I would encourage all of us to be as tolerant as possible of dissenting opinions. But at the same time we should remember this is all about the children, and we need to come together.”

Amen to that.