In Raleigh, N.C., law enforcement officials arrested four civil rights protesters for refusing to leave a school board meeting in Wake County.
Police arrested civil rights activist Mary Williams, a gospel singer and parent who teaches in the Wake County School system; NAACP President Rev. William Barber; and author Tim Tyson; along with Pullen Memorial Baptist Church Minister Nancy Petty.
The four were taken away in handcuffs and charged with second-degree trespassing. They were later released on the agreement to appear in court at a later date and time.
The arrests occurred after the four disrupted the meeting by “singing to empty seats,” according to the News and Observer. Then, when the board recessed, they placed themselves in the board members’ seats.
The key issue for the group was to protest new policies that would have an impact on school diversity. The protest began when a recess of the board was called that prevented the group from addressing the body, upon which Barber objected.
The NAACP’s North Carolina chapter has issued a statement attacking the Wake County School Board’s decision to “destroy the socioeconomic diversity policy” of the state’s largest school district. The organization indicated that “If it is necessary that we be locked up to resist policies that will lock down our children in resegregated, high-poverty, and unconstitutional schools, so be it.” –torrance stephens, ph.d.
For more with Dr. Stephens, visit twitter.com/rawdawgbuffalo and rawdawgb.blogspot.com.
