One of the seldom-noticed trends in American education is the consolidation of schools and school districts. A move to promote further consolidation in Maine is stirring a backlash as a group known as Maine Coalition to Save Schools is trying to collect over 55,000 petition signatures to force a reversal of a new law.

"Most opposed to the legislation agree that some form of consolidation needs to take place, but being forced to give up local control of education spending and school choice in communities where students have been able to choose where they attend high school is a major hurdle."

School choice? Yes. There's actually school choice in some towns in Maine--one thing going for the state. One sad but predictable element in the news story: some legislators who voted for the measure now regret doing so, saying that it was buried in a budget bill and was thus obscured from them.