However how long can we hurt folks that cannot afford to pay for schools.

Your missing a little of the picture.

Right now we can with the coal boom, afford to not consolidate.

When this is over and were back to retirement area Wise Co. Who will be able to afford, to pay more taxes, to keep schools open with less children attending them.

Im not wild about consolidation.
But i am a bit on the realistic side. When you cannot afford things, you don't purchase them. And when the economy is down. you don't spend wrecklessly. You look at cutting cost by going the best route you can.
In this case it will be cutting the number of schools and staff. Not a thing i like. But one that will happen. It's called facing the facts.

It's just not about the money we have. It's about facing a few realities. I have my problems with it. But i also see where in time it will have to happen.

Common sense?