The suggestion by Waco school board member Norman Manning that the Waco Independent School District board of trustees be reconfigured into seven single-member districts is a case of abysmal timing, and in more ways than we care to imagine. Just where has Manning been all year?

Why did he trot out this proposal at the 11th hour, after the school system had invested great time and taxpayer expense to carefully redraw boundaries to accommodate the current setup of five single-member districts with two at-large seats? That process included a citizens advisory board and public hearings on the matter. Little from this process would suggest outcry for change.

All this, including pursuing approval from the Department of Justice to ensure racial balance on the board, cost the taxpayers about $25,000. To now go through the process again — and to incur more expense to do so — shows little regard for the effort that hardworking citizens have put into this tedious and delicate process.

Yes, Manning’s concern about increasing minority strength on the board is justified. But one reason why most of this board is split into single-member districts is to allow minorities a greater role in running a district 54 percent Hispanic, 34 percent black and 12 percent white. And as veteran board member Alex Williams notes, the existing setup has “been working pretty good” for 35 years.

Like Manning, Williams is black. He just finished his board presidency during a tenure that saw him lead the search and hiring of a new superintendent. The ethnic makeup for the rest of the board is one Hispanic and four whites. Two of the latter, Pat Atkins and Cary DuPuy, were elected at large.

Could minority representation be greater? Sure. But further inroads are likely as local minorities become far more politically active, which we encourage. In the meantime, Williams and others believe they are properly devoted to district children and teachers — regardless of ethnicity. Indeed, board member Angela Tekell, who is white, dismissed the idea one must be a certain color to do the job: “I’m offended by the assertion that the color of your skin affects how you take care of children. I represent all children — period.”

Waco school board members need to quickly wrap up redistricting, then get back to the very difficult challenges ahead, including trying to manage a school district with significant academic and budgetary hurdles at a time when the state of Texas is showing less and less commitment to public education. Board members need to encourage parental involvement, hike sagging teacher morale and help create an environment for academic excellence.

Since his election in 2009, Norman Manning has struck us as a disciplined, intelligent and earnest board member. We urge him to put aside divisive efforts and join the rest of the board, administrators, teachers and parents in tackling the real problems and challenges that could prevent our students and our community from achieving success.