Few things provoke an emotional response in a community like the topic of closing a school.

That's understandable. We know that schools, especially good ones, can become intimately tied into the life of a student, and by extension, the life of a family.

Yet in these turbulent economic times, some communities are considering such controversial measures.

Northampton first floated this idea of closing one of its four elementary schools last year, and then put off discussion until this year. Now, that difficult community conversation is being put off again. Thursday School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez told a subcommittee of the School Committee that she does not want to consider closing a school this year.

One reason cited is the lack of time to make a well-reasoned decision before the budget is due. That makes sense, but the question is why wasn't the homework done well in advance so the committee would have the school closing option as one possible way to cover revenue loss?

There have been other problems with Northampton's on-again, off-again discussion of closing a school. One is that the process has proceeded with an air of mystery.

When the Northampton School Department's estimated $2.98 million budget shortfall led to talk of closing an elementary school, Rodriguez handed out documents to board members showing possible class sizes in three schools. The R.K. Finn Ryan Road School was missing from the various scenarios of class size projections, leading Ryan Road families to speculate that their school was eyed for closure. Rodriguez said the documents were prepared as an illustration only, not because Ryan Road was a target. If that is true, it led to a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Discussion of a possible school closing must include facts, including the current population of each school, the projected population numbers and the maximum building capacity for each school.

Figures like school population vary, but there are patterns, and public leaders can make educated guesses. This year, the populations of the city's four elementary schools have hovered around these numbers, according to city data: Bridge Street School, 249; Jackson Street School, 409; Leeds School, 327; and R.K. Finn Ryan Road School, 273.

What about capacity? Could three schools absorb all the students now in four? Figures like maximum building capacity should be easy to come by, but apparently they are not. There are no definitive numbers in any city department regarding the maximum number of students each school can accommodate. City officials speak about capacity in only general terms, noting, for example, the "historic high" in the mid-1990s when there were 1,850 students in Jackson, Leeds, Ryan Road and Bridge Street schools. As of March, there were 1,250 students in those four schools. Based on these figures, officials say they believe three schools would accommodate the students from all four schools, but there is no indication this theory has been proven.

We all know in this economy, it's not business as usual. And we know school and municipal leaders are forced to make hard decisions. They should not make those decisions even more difficult by shrouding them in intrigue.

People need facts to help them understand, even if they may not like, decisions that civic leaders are making.

Northampton has again postponed a decision, but school officials need to make a commitment to fully vet the issues - complete with all the facts needed to make an informed decision - well before next year's budget season rolls around.

If a proposal is made to close a school in Northampton, it should not come as a surprise to its residents. Civic leaders must get the public involved on the ground floor. And above all, there should be no mystery.