In a quick reversal, the West Tisbury selectmen agreed Wednesday to pull an article from the upcoming June 2 special town meeting, asking whether the town should withdraw from the up-Island school district.

Two of the three selectmen voted last week to bring the question to voters, in light of increasing education costs and a failed tax override at the annual town election in April. The $300,000 override was to help pay for the town’s school district assessment.

The up-Island school committee has since agreed to reduce the assessment, but a special town meeting is still required for the town to approve a revised school budget.

Selectman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter, who serves on the school committee, had proposed adding a second article to the warrant, asking voters whether to withdraw from the district. Selectman Cynthia Mitchell had been absent for the meeting.

The full board revisited the issue Wednesday and agreed there was not enough time to properly educate voters before June 2, voting unanimously to withdraw the article. The selectmen plan to form a committee to look at the issue further.

“There is no way to prepare an analysis in the short time frame before June 2,” said selectman Cynthia Mitchell. “I don’t like asking voters to render an opinion on something they have no real way to evaluate.”

Selectman Richard Knabel agreed.

“When voters aren’t sure, when there is doubt in their mind and there are unanswered questions, they vote no,” he said. “I think it will take time to do this and I think we need to do it right.”

In addition to a town vote, withdrawing from the district would require votes by the school committee and other member towns. If those votes failed, the town could still withdraw by a second vote following a six-month waiting period.

Selectman Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd, who is also on the school committee and advocated for the article last week, argued Wednesday that the initial vote would at least send a clear message. Then if the district failed to reduce spending, the town would have the option of withdrawing, he said. But in the end he was willing to concede his position and suggested forming a committee “to look at the impact fiscally and educationally of the withdrawal.”

Because the special town meeting warrant has already been posted, a motion to withdraw the article will be made on the town meeting floor.

The selectmen discussed the possibility of reintroducing the article at a special town meeting in the fall or at the annual town meeting next year. They plan to discuss the new committee at their next meeting.