Wake County school board candidate Heather Losurdo has raised a record total of more than $80,000 in her bid to unseat incumbent Kevin Hill.

New campaign finance reports made public today show that Losurdo had reported raising $82,357 through Oct. 24. The prior record was the $79,500 that conservative businessman Bob Luddy had raised, largely out of his own pocket, in his unsuccessful run for the school board in 1997.

Hill’s new report shows he’s raised $42,748 through Oct 24. While Hill has almost half of Losurdo’s total, outside groups not connected to his campaign have spent tens of thousands of dollars on mailers and television ads attacking Losurdo.

SEE END OF POST FOR REACTIONS FROM BOTH CAMPAIGNS

Letters about the Wake County schools protest and school board meeting Tuesday are streaming in, many of them too long to print. Here’s a sampling, including two detailing instances when people who signed up to speak at the meeting did not get their say. Some you will see in the paper over the next few days.

The Wake County school board majority is getting some online love to counter opposition from backers of the old diversity policy.

Local conservative activist Judy Keener started Monday an online "petition of appreciation" for the school board that thanks them for putting up with "relentless and unfair attacks & pressure." Among other things, the petition thanks the board for "keeping your word," "providing ALL FAMILIES choice in education,” "recognizing the importance of FAMILIES” and "willingness to abandon failed policies and practices.”

"Please keep up the good work," according to the petition. "Do not get discouraged. Remember that we support you and are deeply grateful."

CORRECTION

The petition website originally mistakenly listed the Wake County Taxpayers Association as being the creator. It was created by Judy Keener. The WCTA is only encouraging people to sign the petition.

The Wake County school board would make a statement if it chose a non-educator to become superintendent.

As noted in today's article, policy revisions recommended by the school board's policy committee would take advantage of changes adopted by the General Assembly in 2001 to allow non-educators to become superintendents. But few school districts in the state have taken advantage of the change.

Guilford County Superintendent Maurice Green was about the only non-educator to come to mind for people. Green was Charlotte-Mecklenburg's in-house lawyer and later deputy superintendent before becoming superintendent.

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.

If Wake County Schools Superintendent Del Burns is ousted early tonight, it won't be because his supporters stayed silent.

As noted in today's article, there's been an active lobbying effort over the past few days by people who want the school board to allow Burns to stay on through his June 30 resignation date. Del's Army, a Facebook group organized by the son of former school board candidate Carlene Lucas, has become a central point for Burns' backers.

"Other parents like myself need to stand up and speak out," Lucas said. "We hope they listen to us and not the elite few."

The Wake County Taxpayers Association is also on the list of supporters of the new school board majority who want action taken now against Superintendent Del Burns for his statements to the media on Thursday.

Russell Capps, president of the WCTA, questioned Burns' ability to be of any value as superintendent for the next four months. He also accused Burns of disrespecting the voters by criticizing the board majority's agenda.

In what's becoming more of a regular occurrence, the four new Wake County school board members will be the guests of honor at tonight's Wake County Taxpayers Association meeting.

The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Barbecue Lodge, 4600 Capital Boulevard in Raleigh. In an e-mail message to members, WCTA President Russell Capps said the new board members "will be sharing their assessments and thoughts on what's happening with the new Board."

Will supporters of the new Wake County school board majority finally turn out in large enough numbers to match the critics?

In a Sunday e-mail message, Wake County Taxpayers Association President Russell Capps urged people to show up at today's school board meeting to back the new board. He says people don't have to speak but should sign up in case there is a need to do so.

"WE NEED TO HAVE A CROWD OF OUR FOLKS THERE TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT AND BACKING," Capps writes in his e-mail message. "This is very important because the opposition crowd (mostly loud and boistreous students, parents, and teachers from Enloe High) were there in numbers at the last meeting and took nearly every seat and signed up to whine and complain and criticize our fine Board members.

It took some guts to speak in support of the new Wake County school board majority at Tuesday's meeting.

Of the 48 people who spoke, only 12 praised the new board. Most of the speakers and audience consisted of supporters of current policies who were vocal when they disagreed with speakers.

Russell Capps, president of the Wake County Taxpayers Association, drew jeers when he cited the recent Civitas Institute poll to argue that the the overwhelming majority of parents support the new board's efforts.