AUBURN - The Auburn school board voted Tuesday to join a statewide lobbying group that is taking New York back to court over school aid formulas.

Two board members, Chuck Mason and Kent Brandstetter, voted against joining the New York State Association of Small City School Districts' lawsuit to ensure a statewide solution to the education funding problem.

Mason said it is the responsibility of state lawmakers and not the legal process to solve the issue, and by participating in the lawsuit, Auburn is further contributing to the pressure being put on the courts to remedy issues that should be dealt with in another forum.

Board member Judith Freeman disagreed, saying litigation in this case was a last resort because the legislature was not living up to its responsibility.

It missed a court-set July 30 deadline to provide a plan to meet the constitutional requirements regarding New York City schools. The state Court of Appeals ordered the plan after it found, last fall, that the state was not meeting the constitutional minimum standard that provides all children an opportunity to learn.

NYSASCSD wants the issue to be solved so all school districts are treated fairly.