Lawsuit filed against Wake school board

From A group of Wake County residents filed a lawsuit this morning accusing the Wake County school board of violating state law by restricting public access to a meeting in which a resolution was passed calling for community schools.

A group of Wake County residents filed a lawsuit this morning accusing the Wake County school board of violating state law by restricting public access to a meeting in which a resolution was passed calling for community schools.

Lawsuit filed against Wake school board
By T. Keung Hui
(Raleigh) News & Observer
Posted: Thursday, May. 06, 2010
RALEIGH — A group of Wake County residents filed a lawsuit this morning accusing the Wake County school board of violating state law by restricting public access to a meeting in which a resolution was passed calling for community schools.
In the lawsuit filed in Wake County Superior Court, the residents say the school board violated the state Open Meetings Law by requiring people to get tickets to attend the meeting. During the meeting, the board passed by a 5-4 vote a resolution calling for the creation of community-based schools and the end of the district’s socioeconomic diversity policy.
The lawsuit asks the court to throw out the vote.
The citizens are represented by the ACLU of North Carolina, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, NC NAACP, UNC Center for Civil Rights, NC Justice Center and multiple private lawyers.
Citing security and crowding concerns, the school district had required people to get tickets for a seat in the board room.
The overflow crowd at the meeting stretched into the hallways and outside the building. Three people were arrested at a protest.
The lawsuit cites the offer by The News & Observer and Capitol Broadcasting to pay for the cost of relcoating the meeting to a larger site. Citing logistical concerns, school board chairman Ron Margiotta turned down the request.
The civil rights groups representing the people filing the lawsuit had also raised concerns that day about the ticket policy.
keung.hui@newsobserver.com or 919-829-4534

Source: Charlotte Observer

From http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/06/1419786/lawsuit-filed-against-wake-school.html