The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education has certainly had its share of pressure in recent weeks.

While trying to wrap its annual budget, oversee the beginning of bond-funded renovations, and plan for next school year, the school board has heard from numerous parents and taxpayers asking the board to take a stand on many issues — including many issues outside of its control.

Board meeting speakers have asked the board to oppose the teaching of critical race theory, a collegiate-level field of academics that suggests racism played an outsize role on the development of this nation and still influences it today. They’ve asked the board to state their position on transgender students participating in school sports and using the bathroom corresponding with the gender with which they identify. They’ve asked the board to take a stand on mask-wearing and vaccination requirements.

APS Superintendent Dave Rabbideau told reporter Crystal Nelson for a recent story that the board, by policy, does not answer such questions asked during public comment at school board meetings — which makes sense, to ensure the board can accomplish the business at hand in a timely manner.

Instead, Rabbideau told Nelson he planned to schedule a town hall to hear residents’ concerns and answer their questions.

That’s the right move.

The district could have just ignored residents. After all, many of the issues on which the board’s been pressed of late will be mandated by state or federal lawmakers or court decisions, not at the local school board level.

But parents have concerns about their children’s schools, and taxpayers have concerns about how their money gets spent, and they have a right to hear explanations from their school officials.

So we commend the board for setting aside time to make that happen.