The Wake County school board adopted its 2011 Legislative Agenda tonight after some unusual machinations.

After various motions, the board essentially adopted the draft agenda presented by staff. The big difference is that the board did decide to add a request that the General Assembly pass a law allowing the school board chair to vote on all issues.

The process for getting to the final outcome was convoluted.

The opening of today's AdvancED accreditation discussion turned into barb trading between Wake County school board members Ron Margiotta and Debra Goldman with each accusing the other of being "condescending."

Today's meeting, which is now in closed session, opened with a 5-2 vote to reject the agenda. Goldman voted with the Democrats.

Goldman's explanation was that as board vice chair she should have been consulted beforehand by Margiotta, the board chair, about what the closed session would be about. She objected to the agenda only saying going into closed session to protect attorney-client privilege.

It looks like next week will be the earliest that the Wake County school board can decide what to do next with AdvancED over the accreditation fight.

Due to the absence of school board attorney Jonathan Blumberg from today's meeting, the board did not hold a discussion on AdvancED. But school board chairman Ron Margiotta said it will happen soon.

Toward the end of tonight's meeting, board member Kevin Hill pressed Margiotta for when the issue would be discussed. Margiotta said he's waiting to see if Blumberg will be available to meet with them during a board meeting.

Will the Wake County school board discuss the accreditation fight with AdvancED today?

Today's work session and action meeting agendas don't include the topic. But school board member Kevin Hill said he wants it discussed so that they can come to some final decision on the issue.

The board can choose to withdraw from AdvancED, which would end the review but also cost high schools their accreditation. Officials from AdvancED say they won't be the ones who pull the accreditation, at least before they conduct their review.

UPDATE

School board chairman Ron Margiotta says he doesn't expect the board to discuss AdvancED today because the main attorney handling the case, Jonathan Blumberg, won't be at the meeting.

Is it the Wake County school system or AdvancED that is being unreasonable and uncooperative in the accreditation review?

As noted in today's article, both sides insist they've been cooperative and that the other party has been unreasonable. There has been plenty of finger pointing over the process, which is putting at risk the accreditation of Wake's 24 high schools.

"All said, the history of communication reflects that the school system has been cooperative and that AdvancED has not," writes school board attorneys Ann Majestic and Jonathan Blumberg in Thursday's letter to AdvancED. "Collegiality is a two-way street, and the school system wants to restore constructive dialogue and good faith to this process."

Is the Wake County school board only delaying the inevitable by not pulling out of AdvancED or accepting the scope of their investigation?

As noted in today's article, the school board is going to send another letter restating their concerns about the scope of the investigation. They'll also restate their desire to allow school board members and staff to have legal representation during the meetings with AdvancED.

"The board is pursuing this in another attempt to try to cooperate with them," said school board attorney Jonathan Blumberg.

Wake County's high schools are still accredited - for now.

The Wake County school board, after two plus hours of closed door discussions, voted tonight to have attorneys send another letter to AdvancED. The letter will restate the request to allow school board members and staff to have legal representation during the interviews. It will also ask more questions about the scope of the review.

School board attorney Jonanthan Blumberg said he hopes to have the letter ready in a day. Attorney Kieran Shanahan is also supposed to work on the letter.