Public schools deserve some credit here in Beaufort County.

It’s no secret that funds diminish every year, even as classes get larger and buildings get older. Most years, it seems as if educators are forced to do even more with even less.

These dismal reports send parents running for the hills, scrambling to find other options for their children. It’s understandable.

But despite the odds seemingly stacked against the public school system in North Carolina, Beaufort County educators are doing an incredible job.

The teachers show an immense amount of care for the students, putting in the extra effort to meet their needs on an academic level, but also on a personal and emotional level. It’s a team effort, and each teacher, teaching assistant or administrator at a school plays a part in students’ education.

Not only that, the schools also make the most of its partnerships within the community, thus utilizing resources and keeping costs down to the best of their ability. That’s the way to do it.

In these circumstances, a person may be tempted to throw up one’s hands, admit defeat and call it a day. Not the educators. Their talent for teaching, while also striving to create healthy learning environments and giving the students needed attention, is commendable. There aren’t many professions in which so many responsibilities and skills are required.

That’s not to say educators in the private or charter schools in Beaufort County aren’t just as talented. The county is lucky to have them, as well.

But giving the public school system such a bad wrap is an injustice toward those who go above and beyond in the public schools.

Even though the state legislators don’t always recognize it, the educators in Beaufort County are top-notch at what they do. Parents can rest assured that their children are in good hands.