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.

Wednesday's Wake County school board policy committee discussion had a lot of emotion and some colorful statements.

As noted in today's article, the committee rejected proposed student assignment policy changes that would eliminate all references to diversity in favor of making neighborhood schools a priority. The action came after a good deal of discussion on the role of diversity in student assignment.

It culminated in committee chairwoman Debra Goldman getting applause from the crowd, which had several members of the Great Schools in Wake Coalition, after she didn't second the motion to recommend the changes.

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.

Here's a quick recap of the highlights of today's Wake County school board policy committee discussion.

New school board member Chris Malone didn't get a second for his motion to recommend approval of changes to the student assignment policy that would eliminate all references to diversity while making neighborhood schools a priority.

Debra Goldman, chairwoman of the committee, was again the swing vote. She said she coudln't second the motion because there needs to be more discussion about the policy before they make a recommendation.

SEE END OF POST FOR SUTTON'S COMPROMISE POLICY. CORRECTED TO REFLECT THAT POLICY DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF A SECOND

Carol Love is waging a one-woman battle against the new Wake County school board majority.

Love has created an online petition called "Stop Wake County School Board Bullies" in which she expresses "a no confidence" vote in and demand for censure, resignation, and/or recall" of the new members. Many of the same concerns are raised in a complaint she says she filed with N.C. School Boards Association and the Wake school board.

"While some of us agree with one or more of the policy positions of these aforementioned members, we object to the MANNER in which they conduct themselves--which is akin to schoolyard BULLIES," according to the petition.

It would be an understatement to say that relations are strained between the new Wake County school board majority and the Wake Education Partnership.

As noted in today's article, school board members are questioning such recent WEP publications as the school assignment analysis and the assessment of Del Burns' resignation as superintendent. It's a departure from when the WEP worked closely with the old school board majority.

“They seem to be going against everything we want to do," said school board member Deborah Prickett. "I feel like a salmon swimming upstream against them.”

It's not looking good if you're hoping that Wake County school board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman will be the swing vote for keeping Del Burns on as superintendent through June 30.

In a blog post this afternoon for the liberal Independent weekly, Bob Geary  notes the special school board meeting that's been called for Tuesday to discuss whether to remove Burns early. He's guessing that "there’s sure to be four votes against canning Burns prematurely," pointing to the members of the board minority.

Then he adds "one more — Debra Goldman? — and he stays."

Forest Ridge High is now dead as a Wake County school site.

The school board voted 5-4 tonight to abandon Forest Ridge and direct staff to pursue two alternatives in Rolesville proposed by Rolesville Mayor Frank Eagles. The new majority wasn't deterred by warnings from staff it could cost an additional $15.4 million to switch sites.

You could soon see some major shakeups in the membership of the Wake County school board advisory councils.

The policy committee recommended on Wednesday a policy change that says members of the board advisory councils need to be reinstated after new school board members take office. It's a major change from current policy in which BAC members serve until their terms expire, which can run for up to three years.

The change is important considering the differences in opinions between most new school board members and their predecessors.