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Registered sex offenders aren't allowed in schools.

Some people seem to think elected officials are just as dangerous.

President Barack Obama's televised speech to students last week prompted some Guilford County parents to keep their children home. School officials also gave them the option of having the students attend to other assignments rather than listen to the president's message about working hard and acting responsibly.

The school board followed that event the next day with a discussion about setting a policy covering other occasions when politicians visit schools. Should "opt-out" opportunities always be offered?

Several board members were skeptical, and no action ensued. Deena Hayes warned of opening "Pandora's box."

The district already has one sensible policy about politicians: If they're running for office, they're not welcome to promote their campaigns in school.

An exception would allow a debate, if all candidates for a particular office were invited to participate.

Beyond that, the board should be very careful about creating political controversies where they don't exist.

Elected officials visit schools all the time, and they usually have a legitimate reason. Members of Congress, the governor, state superintendent, legislators, county commissioners and school board members themselves all influence school funding and programs. They should visit regularly to see what's happening. If they take time to speak to students, or answer questions, it might promote learning for children and visitors.

It's not helpful to let parents tell principals they want their kids yanked off to a study hall rather than risk exposure to a public official -- as if the governor or a county commissioner is a child molester stalking victims. Not only is that response overprotective, it's impractical. A politician might visit on short notice, leaving no time to inform parents.

Care should be taken that politicians don't exploit access to schools for their own benefit. The policy against politicking should be strictly enforced.

But school is a place for learning about the world, not a shelter from it. Students in appropriate grades should be taught about political systems and government. If they occasionally see and hear from elected officials, they should gain from the experience.

Pushing them into a closet or under a desk when an elected official approaches fosters divisiveness and closed-minded attitudes. Parents should let children grow beyond intellectual reclusiveness, and the school board shouldn't foster this politician paranoia with an invitation to opt out.

Parents determined to shield their children from the ideas of elected officials can take them out of school of their own volition. That's still bad for the kids, but at least it would spare school leaders the embarrassment of telling the governor or some other dignitary she's not allowed near some of the students. As if she's a threat.