The Maine Principals’ Association is to athletic cost-cutting as the Legislature was two years ago to school district consolidation: Steward of an unpopular mandate, grating against rooted traditions of local control.

Maybe the MPA’s position is worse. In consolidation debate, athletic impact was just an example of a negative outcome. Under the MPA proposal – which slices games, seasons and competitions to save money – a negative outcome is the reality.

Plus, fury toward messing with school athletics is greater than toward schools in general. Without the significant added participation of scholar-athletes, parents, boosters and others – together a vociferous lobby – school sports as they are now wouldn’t function.

In return, these groups deserve influence on the future of athletics. If consolidation proved one thing, it is that important decisions about schools shouldn’t come from above, but rather be the product of compromise by all interests.

MPA officials should pursue this process. Disagreement about its plan doesn’t stem from its core principle – cuts are needed to keep playing and preserve competition – but rather its statewide reach, which disenfranchises local opinion.

The same thing happened with consolidation; anger over being unheard helped form the Rural Caucus, which spoke for smaller schools about their fears of a consolidation mandate.

In the end, a compromise was found and a good plan was enacted.

Was it universally applauded? No. In fact, lawmakers will see legislation this year to repeal the whole thing, stemming from a citizen initiative. But the lesson is this: The mandate failed, while the compromise heeding local input succeeded.

Schools aren’t numb to the times. Many have trimmed athletics already. The MPA, to its credit, has made a plan to address its top concern: ensuring competitive balances remain fair.

There is common ground for both sides to seek.

(Without interference, which is why legislation from Rep. Josh Tardy, R-Newport, to curb the MPA’s influence is a bad idea. The organization and its members should hash this out.)

Whatever is decided won’t be perfect – good compromises rarely are. Consolidation is debated and decried now, even two years later. Yet even the staunchest opponents should begrudgingly agree something needed to be done to control school costs.

The same is true with athletics. The MPA and its critics share the same opinion – absent action, schoolboy and schoolgirl sports in Maine will truly suffer as budgets tighten.

Given this, shouldn’t it be easy for them to walk forward together?

After all, they’re starting from the same place.