Board Member Johanna Wright was the lone opposing vote on the resolution to "accept the strategic direction," which followed several hours of discussion and testimony from residents.
"The direction and the action plan I have a problem with," Wright said, adding at another point, "I may have to go rogue."
Several residents who spoke disagreed with the so-called "learner-centered" approach that is part of the plan's mission statement and focuses more on student-based decisions.
Among them was Maplewood Middle School seventh-grader Clea Licht, who addressed the board:
Others were concerned that the planning was occurring too quickly and without enough community involvement. Among those was a group that submitted a petition with 161 signatures urging the board to hold off on the vote.
See those views below:
Board members stressed that they were not approving any final plan Tuesday night, just supporting the process as it goes forward, noting it is in the fourth step of a 12-step plan that will likely not be completed until next year.
"I'm not trying to sell anybody anything, which seems to be what some people think, that's not it at all," said Superintendent John Ramos. "We are in a process, an organic process. And we're just in step four. The details, the plans, the metrics, the budget, the timeline, they come later."
Board President Elizabeth Baker offered similar views: "Nothing will be done, nothing will be implemented, until there is a plan that is presented, fully vetted and voted on by the board."
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