The school board has just voted 5-4 to remove Broughton High School's International Baccalaureate magnet program.

Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, only votes to break ties. When it became clear that she would have to vote, her decision drew gasps and shock from upset Broughton parents and students.

Also voting to remove the magnet program were Beverley Clark, Patti Head, Ron Margiotta and Lori Millberg. Voting no were Eleanor Goettee, Kevin Hill, Horace Tart and Anne McLaurin.

The school board is planning to take a lunch break before voting on which new school will get the IB program.

UPDATE

Click here for the online story. Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney is recommending that Millbrook High get the new IB program. 

The Broughton High discussion is still dragging on.

The school board just defeated a motion to end discussion on the issue. The board is now taking a 10-minute break.

Before the break, board member Patti Head floated a compromise in which Broughton would partially lose its magnet program. She suggested moving the Middle Years Programme, which touches all ninth- and 10th-graders, to another school while keeping the Diploma Programme, serving interested juniors and seniors, at Broughton.

The room is packed with people on both sides of the issue. Supporters of removing the program have brought in speakers such as Hope Carmichael, who had helped lead efforts to fight conversion of Lacy Elementary to a year-round calendar and later backed the 2006 bond issue.

Broughton students want respect and the teachers want some consistency.

As noted in today's article in the main sheet, students were appropriately enough playing the song "Respect" as they made the case that Broughton should keep its IB magnet program. They want to be heard over the parents who want the program gone to avoid reassignment.

In today's North Raleigh News article, Wynn Cherry, Broughton's IB coordinator, said the school board's flip-flop about the magnet program has hurt teacher morale.

More than 200 Broughton High students gathered in front of the school today to rally for saving the magnet program.

A recurring theme from the speakers was that removing the International Baccalaureate program will have a disastrous effect on the school. They say those who think Broughton will stay healthy without the program are wrong.

"By saying that Broughton is healthy and therefore no longer needs the IB Program is like saying 'I can see very well, so you can take out my eyes.' " said Corinne Jurney, a sophomore.

More to come tomorrow...

Will the school board be willing to keep Broughton High School as an International Baccalaureate magnet school and not reassign students out of the base?

As noted in today's article, that's what is being floated by Broughton parents trying to keep the magnet program. They're saying that it's doable because the demagnetization of Daniels Middle School and the reduction of Broughton's draw area should result in fewer magnet applicants.

The parents are questioning the need to increase the school's magnet percentage to 39 percent of the enrollment.

Some enterprising Broughton High students are mobilizing to save the school's International Baccalaureate magnet program.

Working through Facebook, students have organized a protest that will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday on the school's front lawn. The protest was originally going to be held at the school district's Central Administration Building on Wake Forest Road.

The theme of the rally is "fight redistricting not our program." That's in response to people who hope that removing the magnet program will mean they won't be reassigned out of the school. 

Parents who want to have their say at tonight's community engagement meeting at Broughton High School should really consider showing up early.

People can begin signing up to speak at 6 p.m., 30 minutes before the meeting starts. Based on the prior meetings, there's about enough time for 40 speakers at three minutes apiece.

Parents on both sides of the Broughton magnet issue are expected to grab several spots. Supporters of keeping the IB program at Broughton have begun  mobilizing in the past week to counter those who want the program gone.

Parents will have 30 minutes on Wednesday to make their best case for why Broughton High School does or does not need its magnet program.

At the start of next week's meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m., 15 minutes will be given to each side of the Broughton issue. If people take the full three minutes allowed, then each side will have time for up to five speakers.

If some board members had their way there would be less time for public comment on Wednesday.

One of the questions that parents and some school board members are asking is what's changed in the past month for Broughton High to be in danger of losing its magnet program.

After all, the school board had unanimously agreed on Oct. 21 that Broughton should keep its International Baccalaureate Program. But now a majority of board members are supportive of removing the magnet program.

School board member Beverley Clark, who is leading the charge to demagnetize Broughton, gave an explanation on Tuesday.

It's time to temper your enthusiasm if you were one of the parents who were happy about the changes announced Monday to the draft reassignment plan.

As noted in today's article, the reassignment picture for high schools is now up in the air due to the school board's apparent desire to remove Broughton High's magnet program. Unless some of the board members have second thoughts before next Wednesday's meeting, Broughton will lose the IB magnet program and another school will get it now.

Demagnetizing Broughton and magnetizing another school is going to require some major revisions to the draft plan. Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney said this means that Dec. 20 and not Dec. 16 would now be the likely release date for the revised plan.