Most of the 28 speakers at Thursday's public hearing wanted the Wake County school board to make changes and/or delay a vote on adoption of the new student assignment plan.

As noted in today's article, several speakers referenced Tuesday's election results that brought in three new school board members and could result in a new Democratic majority taking office Dec. 6. Speakers asked for a delay until November or December.

"If the board is willing to wait one month until after we see what the results of the next election are, Mr. Hill’s seat, I believe that the board will begin to come together in a much more dignified way and that the decision that is made will reflect the will of the entire community and not just a narrow majority," said the Rev. Tom Rhodes.

A total of 26 people have pre-registered to speak at Broughton High School at today's Wake County school board public hearing on the student assignment plan.

A number of the usual people who've criticized the school board majority over the past two years are on the list, including Neil Riemann, Rhonda Curtright,  Patty Williams, Greg Flynn, Heather Koons, Tom Rhodes and Amy Lee. One person also on the list is Seth Keel.

I haven't received word yet on whether Keel, who is still banned at showing up at school board meetings following his arrest, will be allowed to speak today. It will be interesting seeing whether Keel, the Rev. William Barber and all the other people who've been barred from attending board meetings will be allowed back if the Democrats regain the board majority.

Over the past two years, some speakers have railed against the board majority for leaving the ban in place. Their trespassing cases still haven't been adjudicated yet.

UPDATE

Keel is not being allowed to speak at the meeting over the objections of him and his supporters.

In addition to Monday night's candlelight vigil, the Wake County Clergy Coalition is calling on the Wake County school board to hold off on Tuesday's vote on the community-based school assignment resolution.

In a press release this morning, the group announced that more than 20 ministers, priests and rabbis had signed a petition Thursday calling on the school board to postpone Tuesday's vote. The group calls on the board not to make a change before conducting a "civil study," but at the end of the day they're saying the study should show that the diversity policy needs to be kept.

"As they lead to re-segregation, we consider the proposed changes to go against the basic principles of our faith, to be contrary to the Bible’s tradition of compassion and care for all our children, and consider them to be opposed to our religion’s teachings on social justice," according to the press release.

Supporters of the diversity policy plan to hold a candlelight vigil the night before the Wake County school board likely votes on Tuesday to go to neighborhood schools.

According to reporter Thomas Goldsmith, fliers for the Monday night vigil were being handed out at today's Great Schools in Wake Coalition press conference. The vigil is being organized by the Wake County Clergy Coalition.

A formal press conference announcing the vigil will be held tomorrow at Temple Beth Or in Raleigh.

Here's the next step in the lead up to Tuesday's vote by the Wake County school board on the community schools assignment resolution.

This morning, the Great Schools in Wake Coalition will hold a press briefing to "provide the news media with a summary of findings, detailed research reports and direct access to a panel of researchers from Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University."

"A significant body of research exists in support of current assignment policy, including the benefits of socioeconomically diverse schools," according to GSIW press release.