Wake County school board member Deborah Prickett accused fellow member of assaulting her when she yanked a microphone out of Prickett's hands at last week's student assignment public hearing.

During the board comments section of tonight's meeting, Prickett charged that board meetings have become "hostile work environments" where board members are engaging in bullying and harassment. Prickett said that board members who don't change their behavior should resign.

Evans declined comment after Prickett's speech.

Keith Sutton was elected the new chairman of the Wake County school board on Tuesday afternoon.

Sutton was elected 5-4 with all the Democrats voting for him and all the Republicans voting for Deborah Prickett. Sutton replaces Kevin Hill, who decided not to seek another one-year term as board chairman.

Christine Kushner was also elected today as the new board vice chair, taking the position that Sutton held the past year. Democrats voted for Kushner and the Republicans voted for Prickett.

Student assignment, early release days and the election of a new chair are among the things that the Wake County school board will deal with today.

During the work session, the board will discuss potential changes to the 2013-14 assignment plan. You could hear discussion on, among other things, letting the Durant Trails families keep Durant Road elementary and middle schools as their year-round options.

Also during the work session, the board will discuss whether to hold the six early release days per student in the 2013-14 school year on Fridays or to move them to Wednesdays.

After the work session, the board will hold its organizational meeting to elect a chair and vice chair. It's expected that Keith Sutton will be elected chairman.

Joe Bryan talked about restoring the relationship with the Wake County school board fresh off his election today as the new chairman of the Wake County Board of Commissioners,

Bryan was elected chairman in a 4-3 party line vote with all the Republicans voting for him and all the Democrats voting for Betty Lou Ward. In a similar 4-3 vote, Phil Matthews was re-elected vice chairman over James West.

Bryan acknowledged how strained relations have become between the school board and commissioners in the past year. He'll likely be working with Keith Sutton, who is expected to be elected the new school board chairman on Tuesday by the Democratic majority.

"I see the biggest challenge that we face personally is trying to reestablish, to restore our partnership wit the Wake County Board of Education and to in fact bring about a successful school bond issue for this coming year," Bryan said during his acceptance remarks.

The start of the Keith Sutton era as Wake County school board chairman is expected to begin Tuesday.

The board will hold an organizational meeting on Tuesday to select a chair and vice chair for the next year. Sutton, the board's vice chairman, said that Kevin Hill has told him he won't seek another term as board chairman.

While Sutton won't outright say he's running for chairman, it's pretty clear if you read between the lines.

SEE UPDATE AT END OF POST

Wake County school board member Susan Evans has apologized, with a caveat, to having yanked the microphone away from colleague Deborah Prickett on Wednesday.

As noted in today's article, Evans called Prickett to apologize for having grabbed the microphone out of her hands. But Evans, along with fellow board member Jim Martin, contend that Prickett was out of order for having polled the crowd at the student assignment hearing if they're satisfied with the choice plan.

"I certainly want to admit that taking the microphone away from Mrs. Prickett was not an appropriate way to deal with her violation of the rules of order," Evans said.

It may not officially be called a "reassignment" by the Wake County school system, but you'd have a hard time telling that to the parents who attended Wednesday's public hearing on the assignment plan.

As noted in today's article, the largest contingent of speakers at the hearing were from the Durant Trails community. They were complaining about proposed changes in their year-round school options.

The majority of the speakers Wednesday were complaining about things that aren't counted in the 1,479 student assignment number in the plan. In addition to changes in calendar options, you've got changes in the feeders from what was in the choice plan.

Some of the most heated moments at tonight's Wake County student assignment public hearing took place after it officially ended.

Normally school board members don't talk during the hearings, but after the hearing ended those in the audience demanded their questions be answered. Board members assured the crowd they'd hear their concerns.

In one of the more contentious exchanges after the hearing, school board member Susan Evans yanked the microphone out of board member Deborah Prickett's hand.

Is it possible that the next Wake County school construction bond issue might not go on the ballot until 2015?

As noted in today's article by Thomas Goldsmith, Wake County Commissioners Chairman Paul Coble said Monday he couldn't promise that a bond issue will be on the 2013 ballot. He said it would be a mistake to put a bond before the public until the school board resolves uncertainty about student assignment and who will take over permanently for fired Superintendent Tony Tata.

“There are things that have to happen before we move forward,” Coble said during an interview after his state of the county address. “The voters are not happy with the school board.”

Does the Wake County school system need to have a policy for how law enforcement interviews and arrests students on campus?

The school board was scheduled to vote on giving this new policy approval on first reading on Oct. 30 until board member Jim Martin interceded. As a result, the policy was tabled for up to 90 days for further review by the policy committee.

Martin, chairman of the policy committee, had given the policy his approval at the Sept. 25 committee meeting. But he raised concerns after getting in contact with Jason Langberg, an attorney for Advocates for Children's Services, which works with students who are suspended and who are arrested.