Is the Wake County school board's proposed ban on personal attacks from speakers too vague?

As noted in today's article, Katy Parker, the legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, says the policy being voted on today leaves too much room for interpretation as to what would be considered a personal attack. She said what one person might consider a personal attack might not be viewed that way by another person.

In this case, school board chairman Ron Margiotta would be the person making the call.

UPDATE

The N.C. Open Government Coalition is also objecting to the speaker policy. Go to the end of the post to read their letter.

Do speakers at Wake County school board meetings have the right to make personal attacks against board members or anyone else?

The school board is set to give initial approval Tuesday to a new policy that sets guidelines on what speakers can say. Several civil rights groups sent a letter today objecting to language in the policy that says "speakers are required to refrain from personal attacks and insults directed at the Board, staff, or other members of the public."

"Comments that go directly to an elected school board members' job performance are protected speech - not personal attacks..." according to the letter. "The new policy prohibiting 'personal attacks' will likely result in impermissible viewpoint discrimination."

UPDATE

SEE END OF POST FOR LINK TO NEW POLICY 

The fallout over Wake County school board member John Tedesco's speech at the April 15 Tea Party rally isn't going away.

This time, the conservative Civitas Institute is complaining about the criticism that liberal activist Chase Foster heaped on Tedesco at last week's school board meeting.

In a blog post today, Bob Luebke asks whether Foster "has also lectured Kevin Hill, Keith Sutton, Ann McLaurin and Carolyn Morrison for their work with the Democratic Party of Wake County?"

Did Wake County school board member John Tedesco break the board's code of ethics when he made his speech at last week's Tea Party rally?

Several speakers at Tuesday's board meeting accused Tedesdo of crossing the ethical line and said he should be punished. The board's code of ethics says members should avoid being placed in a position of conflict of interest and refrain from using his or her position for personal or partisan gain.

Tedesco talked about fighting social engineering and promoting conservative values during a speech in which he repeatedly praised the Tea Partiers.

Wake County school board member John Tedesco is taking exception to a Progressive Pulse blog post that detailed a private conversation he had Friday while at Helios Coffee in Raleigh.

Tedesco submitted a reply Monday to the Progressive Pulse in which he questioned the "creepy stalker manner" of the blog post. Chase Foster, who wrote the blog post, said he just happened to be at Helios when he overheard the conversation and took notes.

Tedesco's reply goes on to elaborate on the statements attributed to him that were in the blog post. He also included to Foster a response he had sent to an Enloe High student who accused him of backing resegregation.

Wake County school board member John Tedesco may lose his job because of his outspoken views on the diversity policy and community-based schools.

Tedesco acknowledged his employer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle, has been getting pressure from supporters of the diversity policy who've questioned whether he should continue working for the non-profit. He said Big Brothers has not asked him to resign despite the lobbying from outside the group.

Rumors have been swirling that Tedesco was being targeted by those who argue his opposition to the diversity policy is at odds with his employer's work helping at-risk children, most of whom are poor and minorities. Big Brothers doesn't have an official position on the diversity policy.