Early last week, stories began circulating about a large number of students coming down with the H1N1 flu at Tooele High School. Some people said most of the student body was ill. Others theorized that the school would be closed soon. The Transcript-Bulletin received several calls from concerned parents wanting to know what the real situation was, how safe their kids were, and what the Tooele County School District was doing to combat further spread of the virus.

For the better part of the week, multiple reporters attempted to contact district officials without success. By press time Thursday, even with some 400 students absent at THS and more phone calls coming in to the newspaper, the district still wasn’t talking. At around 3 p.m. that day, THS Athletic Director Rich Valdez — himself sick at home with the flu — contacted the newspaper to say Friday’s THS vs. East football game was postponed because of the flu outbreak. That was the first real comment by a school official to suggest the extent of the health problem the school was facing — a problem that made national news over the weekend.

This isn’t the only example of the school district being slow to disclose vital information of public interest. For the past month, the Transcript-Bulletin has attempted to obtain the district’s annual Safe Schools report — also without success. The report details the number of dangerous incidents involving guns and knives, among other problems, in our schools. It also details disciplinary actions taken to remedy those problems.

The point of the two examples above is not simply to criticize district officials for not cooperating with the newspaper, particularly since on several other stories the district has been very forthcoming and helpful with our reporters. Rather, we believe the district must do a better job overall of communicating vital information to the public in a timely fashion.

Visit the Web sites for Salt Lake City, Davis or Weber school districts and you will find prominent links to H1N1 updates and information. The Tooele County School District Web site, however, contains no mention of the virus, despite all the concern that must have reached the ears of district officials by now. Nor will you find the Safe Schools report on that Web site. And the district doesn’t publish a monthly newsletter or even send out regular e-mail blasts to update parents on important issues, as other school districts do.

Parents have a right to know if an epidemic is sweeping our schools. They also have a right to know if our schools are becoming safer or more dangerous.

District officials need to renew their commitment to proactive communication with the public. With stakes as high as children’s health and safety, they simply can’t afford not to.