WHAT seems perfectly reasonable for some will often be considered quite obstructive for others.
Taken on its own, a January date for the AQE test appears quite rational.
There would be two more months for children to prepare after all.
There are just one or two issues with this proposal that make it unworkable.
Holding exams after Christmas would see stress and anxiety levels among young pupils and their parents soar.
As disruptive as that might be to families over the festive season, that alone doesn't make the request unreasonable.
But asking the minister to shake up the entire transfer process to accommodate just 34 out of 193 post-primary schools does.
The AQE knows the minister is sympathetic. He is vocal in his support for grammar schools.
But even Mr Weir recognised that he could not indulge this group, when doing so would mean creating turmoil for the entire system.
Parents usually complete their transfer forms in early February and children find out their new `big school' by May.
Those unplaced then have a few months to look about and find a school, long before the new term begins.
There are 127 schools that do not use any form of academic selection at all, compared to the 60-odd that do.
Not even every grammar school uses tests, and even more are phasing them out.
Only the AQE was seeking a delay until January. PPTC, which is facing legal action for failing to cancel its tests, was always targeting December.
Pushing the AQE's assessments into January would knock the entire process back for everyone, including the thousands of children who sit zero exams.
And it would also mean a significant number of unplaced children still sitting at home deep into the new academic year.
Education committee members at Stormont have expressed concerns, including those from the pro-selection DUP.
They did not, unlike others, use a session this week as an excuse to air their views about selection in general, except in passing.
Instead they focussed on the dates chosen and whether there could still be any movement.
North Belfast MLA William Humphrey asked could there be some agreed middle ground, between the new November date and January 21.
There is no perfect solution to this dilemma, and depending on when schools actually return, the groups may need to revisit the issue - or even consider cancelling.
It is reasonable to think that would cause an even bigger headache.
