RALEIGH – A prominent pastor has blasted the new Democratic majority of the Wake County school board for its decision to allow trials to proceed against 30 protesters who disrupted school board meetings in 2010. Mediation was offered to both all parties by Wake County District Attorney Colin Willoughby.

The Raleigh News and Observer reports Rev. Earl Johnson, pastor of Raleigh’s Martin Street Baptist Church, will publicly express his displeasure and disappointment Tuesday. Johnson is president of the Raleigh-Wake Citizens Association, the oldest African American civil-rights group in Raleigh.

Among the people that could be headed for trial are Rev. William Barber, President of the state chapter NAACP, Duke professor Tim Tyson and Nancy Petty, pastor of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church.

“I am asking all clergy who see the immorality and injustice in the board's decision to stand with me and others in this important matter,” Johnson said in an e-mail today. “Such trials are unnecessary, especially when mediation is a viable option.”

Democratic board members have said the decision to reject mediation doesn’t mean they wanted trials, but said the board’s decision means he’s going forward with prosecution.

Demonstrators were charged with trespassing for acts such as taking over the seats of board members, banging the walls during meetings and refusing to give up the lectern during public comments.

Willoughby approached the Republican-led school board about seeking mediation in lieu of prosecution. The board agreed to seek mediation. The opportunity for mediation closed Dec. 1, when the outgoing Republican majority voted in a closed-door session to rescind its offer after not hearing from the protesters.