As it began the process of naming a replacement for board member Matthew Ward, the Pitt County Board of Education this week has perhaps taken a needed step away from politics as usual ­— though at the expense of long-standing procedure.

The board decided Monday to dispense with its written policy of naming a committee to review applicants for the District 1A seat left vacant by Ward’s sudden death last month. Instead, the remaining 11 board members will together tackle this assignment. In the words of board member Benjie Forrest who made the motion to take this shortcut: “I just feel like this would give the whole board an opportunity to work together and be a part of the process.”

This is not a bad sentiment, especially for the school board.

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