Americans for Prosperity is taking shots at the state NAACP for questioning Wake County school board chairman Ron Margiotta's lack of a college degree.

At Friday's press conference announcing the complaint filed against Wake, NAACP attorney Al McSurely said "[Margiotta] doesn't even have a college degree" and added that "they've got clowns running this school board." In a press release today, the conservative AFP notes that 74 percent of adults in North Carolina do not have a college degree.

"Does this represent a policy statement from the NAACP that 74 percent of North Carolina citizens are not qualified to run and serve on their local school board?” said state AFP director Dallas Woodhouse in the press release.

Americans for Prosperity has kicked off a campaign to back the new Wake County school board majority as the district makes the switch toward neighborhood schools.

The conservative advocacy group sent out an e-mail Wednesday to its supporters praising Tuesday's vote and urging people to contact board members. Also yesterday, the group robocalled voters in the districts of the five majority members urging them to thank the members for voting for the community schools resolution.

"The poor board members had to endure nastiness and hostility, much of it lacking the appropriate decorum, said Dallas Woodhouse, state director of AFP. "It's inappropriate for them to be told they're going to hell or are racists. We want to make sure they hear from our members."

You might have thought you were attended a 1960s civil rights protest instead of a Wake County school board meeting on Tuesday.

As noted in today's article, critics of the community-based school assignment resolution steeped their language and actions around themes that wouldn't have been out of place for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to have used.

The Rev. William Barber, president of the state NAACP, led many in the audience in singing "We Shall Overcome" during the meeting. Once the board recessed after the vote on the resolution, Barber led the crowd in "Don't Let Nobody Turn You 'Round," another civil rights anthem.

SEE END OF POST FOR UPDATE WITH LINK TO OPEN LETTER SENT BY BARBER TO WAKE SCHOOL BOARD CHAIRMAN RON MARGIOTTA. 

Americans for Prosperity is joining the call in urging supporters of the new Wake County school board majority to speak out at Tuesday's board meeting

In an e-mail message, AFP asks people to speak out on the community-based school assignment resolution. Similar calls have been made by the Wake County Republican Party and the Wake Schools Community Alliance/John Tedesco.

Here's the message from Dallas Woodhouse, state director of the conservative group, minus the portion that talks about Tuesday's Raleigh City Council meeting:

Wake County school board member Debra Goldman is questioning the paper's coverage of her refusal to second the changes to the student assignment policy that would have eliminated all references to diversity.

In an interview today on WPTF's Bill LuMaye show, Goldman said "there was no vote" yesterday and that "there was no breaking with the majority" during the policy committee meeting. That might be news to board member Chris Malone, who said he was surprised that Goldman didn't second his motion that would have fast-tracked the policy change.

If Goldman had voted to second the motion and approve it Wednesday, the board could have voted on first reading on Tuesday with final adoption on March 16.

Chris Fitzsimon is calling the Wake County school board policy committee's decision Wednesday not to recommend the proposed student assignment policy changes "a small, but important move in the right direction."

In a column today, Fitzsimon, executive director of the liberal N.C. Policy Watch, praises board member Debra Goldman for not seconding Chris Malone's motion. But he says his optimism is tempered by the "glaring omission" from Wednesday's discussion about how 94.5 percent of the parents in the calendar survey said they're satisfied with their child's school.

"That fact alone ought to give every member of the Gang of Five pause, but even Goldman continues to ignore it, at point Wednesday asking why the board should keep the diversity policy in place when 'so many people are so unhappy,'" Fitzsimon writes.

Wake County school board member Debra Goldman is taking heat for not seconding the motion today to recommend to the full board the changes in the student assignment policy.

In a press release today, Dallas Woodhouse, state director of Americans for Prosperity, said he's beginning to have doubts about Goldman. He's accusing her of not following up on her campaign promises.

If Goldman had seconded and then voted for the motion, the full board might have been able to vote on the changes as soon as next week. The proposed changes to Policy 6200 would eliminate all references to diversity while making neighborhood schools a priority.

Will there be a resolution tonight in the case of Wake County Schools Superintendent Del Burns' job status or will it drag on?

It depends on who you ask. Once today's special closed-session school board meeting was scheduled, people like Dallas Woodhouse, state director of the conservative Americans for Prosperity, were predicting Burns would be gone very soon.

"The bottom line is he can't stay on, and he won't be superintendent by this time next week," Woodhouse said in Saturday's article.

Money issues could mark the potential end of Del Burns' tenure as superintendent of Wake County schools.

As noted in today's article, the Wake County school board could force Burns out ahead of his June 30 resignation date by paying him around $100,000. But some are questioning whether Burns should ask for the money if he's saying it's a case of him needing to leave because of his personal integrity.

"He's been well compensated for his time," said school board member John Tedesco. "If it's truly about his integrity, he won't ask for the dollars."

You can add Americans for Prosperity to the list of supporters of the new Wake County school board majority who are calling for the immediate removal of Superintendent Del Burns.

Dallas Woodhouse, state director of the conservative advocacy group, sent out a media alert they will be calling for Burns' immediate removal. They'll discuss it this afternoon.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST