Should the Wake County school board move quickly to extend Superintendent Tony Tata's contract?

As noted in today's article, Tata is generally getting good reviews as he hits the one-year anniversary mark of his tenure on Tuesday. But he also faces some challenges, including potentially from members of the new Democratic school board majority.

Republican school board members are talking about wanting the board to take action next month to extend Tata's contract past the June 30, 2014 end date.

Student assignment and diversity accounted for much of the questions that Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata faced Thursday night at the meeting organized by NC HEAT.

As noted in today's article, Tata talked several times about the task force that will hold its first meeting this afternoon for developing a new long-term student assignment plan. He repeatedly said that a focus of the task force will be on figuring out a way to avoid leaving schools with high concentrations of low-performing students.

"It’s clear that for me the student assignment plan really has to address avoiding high concentrations of low-performing students," Tata told the crowd. "That’s the framework and prism from which I’m addressing.”

Wake County Superintendent Tony Tata could face his roughest grilling yet when he meets Thursday night with the teenagers from NC HEAT.

Tata had agreed to meet with NC HEAT when several members protested outside his appearance at the Wake County Taxpayers Association meeting in January. NC HEAT has been hardcore in its protests against the end of the diversity policy, with some of its members being arrested at board meetings.

"It was disappointing to us that Mr. Tata decided his first visit with the community would be with the Wake County Taxpayers Association, we felt this sent a very unfortunate and partisan message," said Monserrat Alvarez, co-chair of NC HEAT, in a press release posted today by Bob Geary on his blog for the Independent. "We asked Tata to meet with us as well, and he agreed so we are looking forward to hearing his responses to our concerns, not just the concerns of the wealthy members of our community."

UPDATE

Fliers promoting Saturday's NC HEAT protest are being handed out by audience members at Tuesday's school board meeting.

New Wake County Superintendent Anthony Tata will get a "welcoming party" from some of the same protesters who've targeted school board meetings over the past year.

As noted in today's article, protesters plan to be outside the Barbecue Lodge on Thursday night when Tata speaks to the Wake County Taxpayers Association during his tour of the area. The organizers for the event's Facebook page are Monserrat Alvarez, a leader of N.C. HEAT; and Seth Keel, a Middle Creek High teen arrested earlier this year at a school board meeting.

"Anthony Tata was named the new Superintendent of the WCPSS," says the event website. "Join us as we voice our opposition to this decision at his first public appearance in which he meets with the conservative group: Wake County Taxpayers Association."