When voters in Wake County sent word to the School Board and School System that they wanted change we are not sure what they expected, but they got a double barrel blast Tuesday night at the first meeting of the newly-elected Wake Board.

In rapid-fire succession the new board elected a new chair, did away with Wacky Wednesdays (Yea!) and pretty quickly let it be known there was a new sheriff in town and the new gang wanted change.

Reaction to the board’s actions was immediate and, at least in the media, was negative. News and Observer columnist Ruth Sheehan and NC Policy Watch head  Chris Fitzsimons  blasted the board for their actions.

Time will tell whether the new board is better than the old, but here are the cold, hard facts in this situation. Power is hardly ever generously and freely given. It is most always taken. Further, this new board had obviously studied and knew that if they wanted to make change, real change, they had to do it quickly and they could not telegraph their plans. Incumbent board members, teachers, administrators, the media and some sectors of the public may want to complain that this group didn’t adequately warn the public what was to happen, but as former House Speaker Joe Mavretic asked us, what would have happened if they had given advance notice of the changes they wanted to make? It is almost assured that they would never have been able to get changes made.

Mavretic knows these lessons well. He led the revolt against powerful House Speaker Liston Ramsey and his chief Lieutenant Billy Watkins. As Mavretic says, if he and his leaders had publicly informed Ramsey and his cadre of supporters (including lobbyists, party leaders, and other legislators) what they were doing it was unlikely they could have held onto their votes long enough to force a change in leadership. Was that change necessary? Some may argue but many will say it was a good thing for the state. Ramsey had been in power too long.

Mavretic’s team met in private, just as the new School Board did. If they had met publicly the newspaper and TV (all of whom openly endorsed their opponents in the election) would have defeated them before they started.

So it was quick and dirty. And perhaps not in the best interests of Wake Schools’ parents, students or teachers. But to the victor belongs the spoils. The new board members won and they get to call the tune. Those who want it changed can do so at the ballot box and through public opinion.

Let’s watch what they do from here on out.