It's Decided: Massapequa Sixth Graders To Attend Middle School

After a lot of back and forth, it has finally be decided -- Massapequa sixth graders will be starting at Berner Middle School this fall.

Last month, the Board of Education approved two resolutions reversing the plan to move of the grade 6 program to the middle school by a 3-2 vote.

In February, the board voted to approve including sixth grade at Berner Middle School in Massapequa, also by a 3-2 vote, which would have been in effect starting September 2017.

The changes have caused quite a stir in the local community. One local parent even created an online petition asking the board not to reverse the original plan.

After receiving the petition, Commissioner MaryEllen Elia issued a one-page order barring the district from cancelling the plan on Thursday, Newsday reports.

The topic was discussed at a special meeting on Thursday, which was attended by many parents wearing either blue or red to show whether or not they supported the move -- blue if they wanted sixth graders to attend middle school and red if they wanted sixth graders to stay in elementary school.

During the meeting, school board president Tim Taylor, who voted against the sixth-graders’ move, read the order from Elia and stated that the board is considering "all their legal options,” according to Newsday.