Proposed elementary school zones. (Photo: File )

A group of Robertson County parents are considering a lawsuit following the board of education’s Oct. 6 release of a federally mandated, mandatory rezoning plan while others are urging residents to embrace change and move forward for the students’ sake.

By Monday, an online petition to reject the federal rezoning plan in Robertson County had been signed by nearly 1,150 people and a Facebook page devoted to speaking out about the issue had garnered more than 1,500 likes and ample discussion.

Others, meanwhile, were taking to social media in an attempt to quell the backlash.

“I think people need a place to vent because they are frustrated and they don’t understand how this has happened, but I think we need to take a step back and try to analyze it dispassionately,” Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley said. “No one likes it, but we have a responsibility to be adults about this and to lead through example.”

At first, backlash came in the form of unorganized social media postings, Facebook comments and Tweets expressing mostly negative viewpoints. Then, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, a new Facebook community emerged, “Community speaks up for NO in rezoning Robertson County Schools,” and it began to grow into an organized effort.

Springfield resident Jolene Safford is one of the site’s creators. A mother of two children, ages 8 and 6, Safford said she refuses to comply with the federally-mandated plan, which would…