The Mineola Union Free School District Board of Education on Oct. 30 voted to remove the district goal to implement Build Your Own Grade (BYOG) in eighth‑grade core subjects after weeks of community concern and the opening of an independent investigation.

Board President Cheryl Ann Posona told the meeting the board had "ended the use of the BYOG platform" as soon as it became aware of issues and that interviews in the outside law firm’s investigation began the day before the meeting and were expected to continue through Thanksgiving. The board said the law firm was chosen by board counsel for its experience in school‑law investigations and to avoid perceived conflicts of interest.

Why it matters: Parents, students and several teachers said the BYOG rollout disrupted instruction and may have exposed student information to an external developer without a properly executed data‑privacy agreement. That prompted vocal public comment at tonight’s meeting and renewed calls for accountability from the board.

What the board did: Resolution 46 — read and moved during the meeting — was approved by voice vote. The resolution removes the Board of Education goal to implement BYOG for the 2025–26 school year. The meeting record shows the motion was seconded and the board president declared "Resolution 46 passes," but the transcript records a voice vote without a roll‑call tally.

Legal and privacy questions: Multiple speakers cited New York Education Law section 2‑d, which the public commenters described as requiring a written data‑privacy agreement before a third party may access personally identifiable student information. A parent who identified herself as an attorney, and other speakers, said district records show no fully executed agreement prior to student data being uploaded and that a draft had been signed by the superintendent but not approved by the board. Student and parent commenters directly told trustees they believed that constituted a legal violation and urged immediate action.

Community reaction: Several students and parents urged swift removal of the superintendent. A high‑school student said the administration has prioritized "image over integrity" and described classroom disruption and lost instructional time. A parent and attorney told the board, "we're sick," and urged trustees to remove the superintendent immediately or place him on administrative leave. Several speakers called for greater transparency in procurement and vendor selection and for a public dashboard of district contracts.

Board response and next steps: The board confirmed that the district retained outside counsel to conduct a sensitive investigation and said the firm had no prior connection to the district. Trustees also moved and approved a consent agenda containing routine items after the BYOG resolution. At the meeting’s end the board voted to enter executive session to discuss proposed litigation.

What remains unclear: The transcript and district comments indicate disagreement over the timeline and scope of BYOG’s implementation (members of the public said students used BYOG for as many as 26 school days, while district statements minimized the operational period). The board stated that a draft data‑privacy document had been signed by the superintendent but "was never approved by the board." The transcript does not include a public, itemized roll‑call vote for Resolution 46 or a complete procurement record for the law firm retained.

Looking ahead: The independent investigation is ongoing. Multiple public commenters said they will press for either the superintendent’s resignation or his removal for cause and for additional reviews of procurement and special‑education practices.