Nebraska lawmakers opposed to the OPS break-up predicted that the plan would put Omaha on the national stage for all the wrong reasons. The spotlight is shining.

The lamps were switched on Friday night. One day after passage of LB 1024, Omaha Senator Ernie Chambers was on CNN discussing the issue with Lou Dobbs.

Chambers said he believed that OPS segregated itself six years ago when it stopped mandatory busing and returned to neighborhood schools.

The senator is dividing a district he attended as a student into what amounts to three areas separated by race and on Friday he told the country why he did it.

"If they had not mistreated me as a child, they might not have to deal with the Senator Chambers you see here today," he said.

OPS calls the move state-sponsored segregation but district officials believe the courts will rule it unconstitutional.

Looking back over some of what has transpired in this matter over the past 10 months casts suspicion on any optimism for a seamless resolution.

Last August, when OPS Board President Sandra Jensen listened to Governor Heineman's support of the neighboring school districts, she said, "It was disconcerting to hear him say such strong words as hostile takeover. We said if you don't like the law, then change the law."

From Bellevue's Superintendent John Deegan in November: "The last time that somebody said 'segregation forever' is what is going on in Westside and Millard right today. They're saying Westside forever, Millard forever. Sounds a lot like the terms that were used by George Wallace."

After face-to-face meetings in July, Elkhorn Superintendent Roger Breed said, "When you're invited to dinner with a gun at your head, I'm not sure what that reaction would be."

In June of 2005, Lisa Frazee, the parent of a Millard student told us, "I don't think OPS has the quality of education and after-school activities Millard can offer."

The next step in this process might largely depend on whether the issues to now be addressed can get past the rhetoric.