It looks like there's still going to be a priority for Wake County students from high-performing nodes to get into magnet schools, but there won't be a transfer priority for applicants from low-performing schools to get into high-performing ones.

Both issues became intertwined during last week's student assignment work session as board members and staff worked through the details of the draft 2013-14 student assignment plan. The final vote will come during Tuesday's meeting.

During last week's discussion, you had discussion about how far the board should go to keep students from leaving some schools and who should get priority for magnet access.

Barring any last-minute changes next week, it looks like the new year-round calendar option for Lynn Road Elementary base families will be Wakefield Elementary.

But the discussion on the issue during Tuesday's Wake County school board student assignment work session raises issues about the role year-round calendar options should play in the district. Should Wake continue to not offer year-round options that are considered more attractive than the base school?

The discussion also raised the prospect that the school system may at some point convert Wakefield Elementary back to a traditional calendar.

Donna Martinez is applauding Wake County school board member Deborah Prickett for the speech she made Tuesday night about the microphone-snatching incident with Susan Evans.

In a blog post today for the conservative John Locke Foundation, Martinez writes that "I’m glad Prickett will continue to speak out on behalf of Wake parents who want and expect a voice in their child’s education, rather than a system-focused mindset that now dominates the school board."

"What a shame for the children and families who will be trapped by closed minds and status-quo thinking," Martinez continues.

Martinez quotes from portions of Prickett's speech in which she charged that Evans' actions was an assault.

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.

It looks like Wake County school board chairman Kevin Hill came up with a way tonight to reduce incidents between board members.

Before the start of the student assignment public hearing, school board member Debra Goldman said she wanted to address the crowd now because Hill has told board members not to talk to the crowd during the meeting. Goldman welcomed parents to the meeting in her district and let them know she can relate to them because she too has gone through reassignment in Wake.

This practice of not talking to the public is similar to how assignment hearings have traditionally gone. In Hill's absence Wednesday, board members talked to the crowd after the hearing ended, culminating with the microphone incident between board members Deborah Prickett and Susan Evans.

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.

Bloggers for the conservative John Locke Foundation are criticizing Wake County school board member Susan Evans for yanking the microphone out of board member Deborah Prickett's hands last night.

In a post this morning on the Right Angles blog, Donna Martinez quips that Evans has replaced Debra Goldman as "the board member to watch." Martinez writes that "when Evans didn’t like what fellow board member Deborah Prickett had to say at the  public hearing about student assignment, Evans reacted like a 10-year-old who hadn’t gotten her way on the playground."

"Ah yes, the enlightened Left’s example is fascinating: When you don’t agree with someone, just shut them down," Martinez writes.

In a post this morning for The Locker Room blog, Terry Stoops headlines it "so much for open-mindedness, respect." Stoops contrasts Evans' actions Wednesday with an N&O editorial from September saying that Evans had pledged "to operate in an open-minded, respectful manner."

Should the Wake County school board consider putting time limits on how long individual board members can debate issues at meetings?

The school board's policy on rules of order has a section on board debate, including saying a person who hasn't spoken yet should be allowed to talk before a board member speaks again. It also talks about, to the extent possible, alternating between proponents and opponents of a measure.

During Tuesday's policy committee meeting, board member Susan Evans said she's fine with the present debate rules. But Evans also asked if they wanted to consider putting time limits on how much individual board members can speak when they have the floor.

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.