There seems to be no shortage of anger and bitterness floating about over this or that issue, as the political temperature continues to rise in the lead up to a general election which is certainly around the corner.In the midst of anger and fury, seldom is there room for clear thinking based on, yes, that old fashion quality called commonsense. In the political arena this can be a serious problem, especially when a controversial decision touches a nerve in the community, that ignites a reaction with ramifications that causes one to wonder whether common sense is no longer a key factor.Most Bermudians are aware that at times any Government could be faced with a decision that might not be readily acceptable by the public as the best course of action to deal with a particular matter. That will always be a challenge for those with the power to make decisions.What bothers many Bermudians, and it matters little whether one is joined at the hip to this or that group, is that in too many instances decisions appear not to have been thought through properly before implementation, leaving a feeling in the populace of being dictated to.Even if a controversial decision has merit, unless those affected, are totally convinced that it is the only route to a solution, the door swings open for questions over whether full consideration was given to every aspect of what impact it will have in trying to build a better relationship between the community and those in authority.We all know that nothing touches the nerve quicker than a decision that affects the lives of children, and if ever there was a need for urgent common sense it is certainly now over the decision to shift about school principals by the Education Ministry to improve standards.To improve standards sounds logical enough on the surface, but education officials should never even appear to disregard the concerns of parents, teachers and guardians over what is best for the children even more so when it comes to those with special needs.The key point in this dispute which recently saw a march through the City of Hamilton by a large number of parents from the Victor Scott School, and TN Tatem Middle school, protesting the decision to move principals is that better thought might avoided thisIt is certainly not illogical to question a decision that has the appearance of creating a problem while trying to solve another. If a principal has the support of parents and teachers which is always vital for educational development, any attempt to shift a principal for whatever reason is likely to cause strong reaction.The bottom line here appears to be that the decision makers either disregarded the views of parents and teachers, or failed to communicate properly with everyone who would be impacted with such a decision. As a former President of a PTA association I discovered the connection between parents, students, and the principal is paramount, and extreme care should be given before officials consider changes.Without getting into crafty descriptions of technical explanations of why this or that needs to be done, the most important factor should be for education officials to involve parents and teachers in any major decision likely to affect stable continuity in the educational process.This dispute over a decision to shift principals should never be a matter for the courts. Even if a little crow has to be eaten by education officials surely the introduction of common sense could go a long way in sorting out this mess.n Sometimes even a Government decision could be dreadfully wrong, and everyone knows how difficult it is to get a Government official anywhere to admit they made a mistake. This is even more crucial in trying to gain political points with election fever in the air.n Bermuda is facing major problems through the economic downturn that has affected so many families, along with other social issues and nothing short of plain common sense is going to get us through these testing times.n We need to keep cool heads and think things through carefully.