The thought of having the state’s largest high school right here in Warren County is an attractive notion, but one fraught with questions and concerns.

The subject of consolidating Vicksburg and Warren Central high schools was broached in a pair of community forums sponsored by the Vicksburg Warren School District during the past two weeks.

On the face of it, the idea has merit and, in the long run, could very well be the right thing to do, but we believe there are simply too many unanswered questions to make any moves in that direction.

Important questions like: Where will we house all the students? How will we pay for it? And how many district employees will lose their jobs? Or, how many more would need to be hired?

Even secondary questions linger. Some could be deal breakers: Which school colors will be used? What about a mascot? And what will the new school be named?

At first glance, the Vicksburg Warren School District Board of Trustees seems split on the issue, so all of this might be moot from the beginning.

Also, any way you look at it, this will cost lots and lots of money. Does anyone see any lying around?

To build a new facility, or update and repair the ones we have, likely will require a bond issue, which normally means a tax increase. Good luck trying to sell that to 60 percent of Warren County voters when many of them send their kids to private or parochial schools. It’s just not going to happen.

And what about the county’s other needs? What about a new jail? What about roads? What about the long-talked-about sports complex?

Our schools should be at or near the top of that list, but it’s unlikely that money is going to magically appear any time soon.

District officials should be commended for the way they’ve approached this issue and they should continue to involve the public and students in the conversation, but again, we urge caution and diligence.

Consolidating Vicksburg and Warren Central high schools might be a good idea … just not yet.