I suggest that there is an option for the ClassicPress group to consider:

Continuing to fork the core WP, but in doing so, to add a layer of control for users over the things to remove or modify.

IOW… additional control over the core WP environment, rather than just forking.

Although technical reasons may make this quite difficult or impossible, but it would offer an independent group to alter the “flavor” of how core operates for various groups of end-users that is free from the politics and top-down decision making of Automattic.