There are reasons to keep a law that imposes a Jan. 15 deadline on local school districts to settle contract negotiations, and there are reasons to repeal it. If the state keeps the interests of students in mind, the arguments to repeal it prevail.

The law is helpful because it forces the two sides to the table. However, districts that don’t meet the deadline are subject to financial penalties, which hurt only the students. Having a deadline is meaningless unless there are penalties for not meeting it, but the $25-per-pupil penalty now enforced would do nothing but make it harder for school districts, many of whom are already financially strapped.

Most districts won’t ever be penalized, because they will rush to finish negotiations to avoid the penalty. But in this situation, the district has more to lose than the employees with whom they are negotiating. School boards think that gives the employees an unfair bargaining advantage. If a school district caves at the last minute to avoid penalties, and winds up paying more than it can afford, once again, the district’s budget, and ultimately students, are affected.

A proposal is now on the table in the House to repeal the deadline. The state should take a hard look at passing it.

Tribune editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper’s management and editorial staff.