The Great Schools in Wake Coalition is mobilizing to get the new Wake County student assignment plan to include the diversity-related assignments.

In an email message dated Sept. 12, GSIW chairwoman Yevonne Brannon tells people that her discussions with school board members was "not encouraging." Brannon writes about a "board member who wants what we want but is too weak to push for it and too afraid to step up to the plate, because he is worried about community push back."

Brannon writes that "another board member who doesn’t seem to 'agree' about how to fix diversity-how to have balanced schools.....he seems to believe kids can choose out. After some discussion he agreed to 'think it over.'"

The diversity policy isn't the only difference separating Wake County school board members.

As noted in today's article, the board is also split about how to view charter schools, private schools and home schools. Members of the new board majority are more willing to embrace these educational alternatives even as they say they want to bring more families back into the school system.

“Honestly, I would like to see the public schools get involved with the charter schools and develop a better working relationship because of the way that they tend to be theme schools,” said school board chairman Ron Margiotta. “If we want to talk about it’s being competition, I welcome the competition.”

It looks like we've got a big public showdown coming at Tuesday's Wake County school board meeting.

In response to N.C. Americans for Prosperity's call for a rally to support the new board, critics of the new majority are urging their side to turn out as well Tuesday.

"We have to be at the meeting in stronger numbers than the anti-diversity crowd!" writes Matthew Brown, a spokesman for the Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children. "As we know, it is easier for politicians to do questionable things when there is a large mob cheering them on. We have to be in the seats before they can take them all!"

This month's school board election in District 7 pretty much has shown that more people opposed mandatory year-round schools and the calendar conversions than supported them.

Concerned and Committed Lessville Parents and BiggerPicture4Wake had both claimed they represented the silent majority. But as noted in today's North Raleigh News article, CCLP's side prevailed and now the question is when Leesville Road elementary and middle schools will go back to a traditional calendar.

The signs seem to be pointing to both schools abandoning the year-round calendar for the 2010-11 school year.

This morning's editorial section has a pair of competing op-ed pieces on the Wake school board races.

In the piece from Maria Mauriello, she warns "that the school system's critics want to roll back the clock on our children." She's the co-founder of BiggerPicture4Wake, which has endorsed candidates who support the diversity policy.

The opposing piece from Chris Marsch criticizes how Wake has applied the diversity policy. He's endorsing the candidates who happen to be backed by the Wake Schools Community Alliance.

BTW, Marsch had talked with the Wake County Democratic Party about running for the District 2 school board seat. Marsch has also been involved in the No Child Left Behind notification issue at Barwell Road Elementary.

BiggerPicture4Wake is now officially online.

The group reopened its Web site so a password is no longer needed. The group also issued a press release today.

BiggerPicture4Wake forms, supports year-round conversion of Leesville Middle School