Everyone who has their boat moored to reality knows that Cary Grade School District 26’s financial problems have been caused by a teachers’ contract the district can’t afford.

A woman addresses the Cary Grade School District school board, as seen on WGN-TV.

They have teacher salaries that are comparatively out of sight, and benefits that are too high.

It’s that simple.

It’s been going on for years.

The past president of the school board’s wife is a teacher in Cary 26. (Such conflict of interest is too prevalent on school boards, but what can one expect when teachers’ unions know it matters who is on school boards and taxpayers don’t. Now that would be a ripe topic for a newspaper investigative story.)

Draining the money out of the district into the teachers’ contract so more could be demanded from taxpayers was likely a prime purpose of his being on the board.

Taxpayers in Cary weren’t stupid to fall for this ploy and vote for higher taxes.

On Thursday, here’s what Daily Herald editors wrote:

“Should district leaders find no conflicts in accepting the money, we feel, at the very least, it would buy Cary Elementary District 26 some time.

“Time to fully examine the problems that led the district to this point – an ongoing deficit, depleted fund balances and lots of short-term borrowing – so that it can get its financial house in order and continue to provide students with the kind of quality education for which the district has been known.”

This is the epitome of denial. Time isn’t needed. A change in the teachers’ contract is.