The Eighth Judicial District is a sprawling district that encompasses eight counties. To travel from Ripley in one corner of the district to Kendall in the other corner would take someone two hours and fifteen minutes on a good day — and we’re coming to the time of year when good days for traveling become few and far between.

Even more important than the travel is the differences amongst the counties that make up the Eighth Judicial District. Chautauqua County is a very different place than Erie and Niagara counties, particularly when it comes to education. It makes little sense for education policy makers to think that one meeting in an eight-county area really accomplishes much as far as getting the public’s thoughts on potential new graduation standards for the state.

Kudos, then, to members of the state Board of Regents who have quickly come to the realization that having a truly open process will mean holding more than one public input session as the Regents mull changing the state’s graduation standards. Both the Regents and the state Education Department have a laundry list of groups they think should be part of these informational meetings. Many come with a vested interest in the system — interest groups of one form or another, union organizations, school district officials. Saying there will be one meeting in each judicial district, with a mile-long list of groups that should be represented, will mean it is impossible for regular folks whose children attend schools in New York state to make their voices heard through the chorus of invited voices.

The Regents have already adjusted the timeline for the graduation requirement process by lengthening the process by about a year. That was a good decision. The job is too big to rush. The Board of Regents may have to do so again if they want to pay more than lip service to the idea of giving the public an opinion on these changes. It is, after all, easier for the handpicked, invited guests to submit comments on what they feel the state’s new graduation requirements should be than it is for mothers, fathers, teachers and other concerned citizens.