I feel genuinely sorry for Seattle school officials.

Not only do they have to contend with the financial mess that's impacting state education, they have to also put up with an endless supply of cranky parents who refuse to look beyond their own selfish demands.

Trying to stretch budget dollars that don't come close to covering costs, the Seattle School Board approved a plan that will assign students to a school in their neighborhood rather than busing those kids to classes across town.

The move will save a bunch of money by cutting down on $29 million in transportation costs.

Enter the cranky parents who began wailing about how the move will hurt families.

Mommies and daddies beat their chests and stamped their feet over the idea that Johnny and Janie wouldn't be going to the same school.

Mind you, the district provided that kids wouldn't be taken out of a school they're already attending, but noted that younger siblings might have to go to a different school they could walk to.

I'm not sure big sister is all that keen on little brother sharing the same recess time anyway.

But one thing I am sure of, Seattle school officials deserve better than they're getting from parents who don't seem to understand squat about what schools are going through right now.

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