Former Wake County Superintendent Del Burns is stepping back into the public eye to issue candidate endorsements and to speak out on the state of the school system.
In a press release today, Jack Nichols, a Democratic candidate for Wake County commissioner, announced he's been endorsed by three former Wake superintendents, including Burns. Nichols has been a harsh critic of the Republican majority on the school board and is running against Republican incumbent Paul Coble
"Jack Nichols is a consensus builder, and understands that when it comes to our children and our tax dollars, we must make decisions based on data and research, not ideologically driven agendas,” Burns said in the press release.
Burns had accused the Republican majority on the school board of engaging in political partisanship and criticized them for eliminating the diversity policy in media interviews in February. Those interviews led to him being put on paid administrative leave for the last four months of his tenure leading up to his June 30 resignation date.
Also endorsing Nichols today are Bill McNeal and Bob Bridges. All three former superintendents are Democrats.
Burns is also speaking out an interview that will be aired at 6 p.m. tonight by WRAL-TV. Burns had been turning down numerous requests for interviews since the board put him on leave.
UPDATE
Click here to view the press release. Burns is also co-chairman of a group called "Educators for Nichols."
Click here for a current list of members of Educators for Nichols. In addition to the three former superintendents, you've got the current Wake NCAE President Tama Bouncer, past Wake NCAE President Jennifer Lanane and NEA Executive Director John Wilson.
Burns said in the interview that the scrapping of the zone plan on Tuesday presents a great opportunity for the school system.
‘They have hit the pause button for a moment,” Burns said. “It’s time to reflect and determine what it is we really want for the future and then find a way to begin addressing that, honoring the values for everyone.”
Burns also said he's writing a book about his experiences.
Comments
As I return from LA I am
Sun, 10/10/2010 - 15:22 — willynillyAs I return from LA I am much more secure in that there are some people that are going to make a difference now. The LA Times should get a medal for what they are doing.
I thought things might have changed for the better while gone, but alas, no such luck. It seems more apparent than ever that the FEDS will get involved in this and things will get really nasty no matter what side of the coin pops up.
Teachers are second class citizens and there is no way around that. A number of principals are bullies and they hate it when someone else knows something they do not. They also do not having someone else come up with an idea of their own.
Two years ago I took a position in a school system that was lower performing. I took a group of 8th graders my first year there and helped 65% of them pass the science EOG when only 36% passed the year before that. Last year 77% of my students passed the science EOG (with 11 IVs the first year and then 31 IVs last year). Then, without knowing anything about me (or maybe it does) I am accused of being an ineffective teacher who was removed from the system with no option for defending/proving myself. The fact is that I chose to leave the WCPSS and take a job with a charter. That year I was able to help 72% of my students pass the science EOG. The state average was 63% that year.
Some here have asked if "it's me" that I run into these people year to year. Well, let me just say this. When a teacher takes a $2500 pay cut to accept a postion with the caveat that the money needs to be made up the following year it is a matter of trust in that principal. To be offered $40 more for a year for the following year is an insult. Too, I had to break my lease with a requirement to pay 2 months rent.....and to have this principal offer to pay it was also trust.......to find 2 months later, when applying for a loan, that the 2 months rent was not paid....well, of course she thought that the apt complex would simply "drop it." This was in a private school.
In the WCPSS I was astounded by what one of the fair haired principals told me....one of DELs chosen ones......I gave a research paper as an assignment to my 7th and 8th graders. I worked very hard with my students in that and showed them how to format, research......the works. i had stduents print things off the interent that still had the Alavert ad at the bottom of the page. So I failed them. the princiapl got calls from parent left and right. Mind you, no one ever said that the kids did NOT do anything wrong. The principal called me into her office and suggested I not do anything like this again. I told her that if these kids were going to get to college they needed to get at least a little taste of this. This fair haired principal of the WCPSS (now a HS principal) looked me dead in the eye and said, "How many of these kids do you think are really going to college?" Man, my kingdom for a recorder LOL.....hmmmmm.
Another principal, who was also promoted, thought it bad of me to chastise a male student for grabbing a girls private parts from behind. When this boy got in my face when I told him to stop I was the one wrong for standing my ground and not backing down. Funny, the camera in the hallway was not working that day? Or something......well, the schools camera was not working.
I had an asst principal load 2 of my classes one year with 36 students and half or more were special needs (BED, ADHD etc) with no help at all. Now would you like to have found that your child was in that class and they were regular ed? I saved the IEPs, 504s and the class lists.
This is not to mention the other hightmare perpetrated by the WCPSS....one in which I have letters making accusations and emails proving them lies. Still, Del made a decision that will creep up on him soon. The WCPSS attorney will, I am sure, not want to take a chance on this case interferring with any politcal aspirations he may have. So, the names of all involved are beginning to be known. however, one of the reporters for the LA Times had a great suggestion.
I am now in a new postion, one in which I will be aksed to do things that will show exactly what I can help my kids to do. As my students become more and more successful I will gain more and more credibility....and then.....go public.
What is described by
Sun, 10/10/2010 - 23:36 — HJ2ss2What is described by willynilly, is not an isolated incident. This is "business as usual" in the Wake County Schools. I've seen several promising careers destroyed by their tactics. Interestingly, it is the brighter, independent thinker who is generally targeted. Those who follow but also question the rules.
Most parents who have children attending Wake County have no understanding of the deceit and deception not to mention lack of respect and recognition that many professional staff face in this County. I say this as someone who had a successful career in teaching hospitals and a school system in a different State. During my years with Wake County, I observed treatment of professionals and behavior on the part of administrators that would have been unacceptable in any other place of employment. How does this treatment of staff affect the student population? How can you be creative and innovative in your job with so much criticizm and negativity from the top? I never understood why innovative ideas were ignored? Why the school system continued to operate in the same manner yet expect different results?
There are many good administrators and educators in Wake County that, given the opportunity, could be outstanding. Unfortunately, it appears that they are limited in what they can accomplish by those above them who are content with mediocrity. Although, they do seem to have a penchant for taking others' ideas and making them their own.
Before people get off on the
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 22:11 — aquaman4life68Before people get off on the whole "warm fuzzy" "fluff" of Early Release Wednesdays ....a lot of the teachers were glad to see Del go and the "Wacky" Wednesdays...however A LOT were disappointed that the board didn't throw out the whole PLT scam/hoax. Yes it is fluff and teachers are now FORCED to spend and give up an hour each week just to meet by FORCE, and the worst part about it is, everyone doesn't see the extra paperwork, developing of agendas, postings of agendas and minutes of the meetings that they have to spend time doing. So this "valuable" hour so to speak...causes teachers to have to spend their planning period typing up the fluff...and in the end, nothing comes of all this, but folks like ole Del, get the glory of bringing this in and making like it will fix all problems. I pitty the teachers, I really do, I have siblings, a cousin, and lots of friends that teach adn I hear this from them a lot. I just wish they would actually ask teachers what they feel would work and help them, instead of bringing something in and throwing another burden to the teachers' desk adn tie them down to paperwork...I'm mean, come on...I thought they were their to teach, not completing endless paperwork and forms to make the "powers that be" up in central office shine.
YA KNOW!!! I think that just might be the problem with why the kids aren't learning as much as you all say they are...the teachers can't teach, they are to busy doing all these other things for the "Del's" in this world.
Pray for the teachers in this system, they truely need our love and support and prayer each and every day.
I hate to burst your bubble, but
Sat, 10/09/2010 - 14:13 — exYank_WCprin99% of the teachers in the size of Wake's district don't give a "darn" who the board is or the who the superintendent is..they simply do their job day in day out. Mostly they care about their principal, department/grade level chair, and peers. And in most schools teachers ARE asked what they believe to be effective teaching AND are encouraged to practice and share their experiences with other the other professionals in their school. PTL's were implemented as a "test" years ago here and across the country and found to help students, that's why they were "mandated" in Wake. Because you and others listen to a few teachers who probably bitch about everything (teachers complain more than anyone except the infantry), doesn't mean PLT's aren't effective.
Sounds as if you are speaking to some burned out educators who simply want to back back to the 50's, shut their door and teach the way they choose (read ..no or little accountability!). Do you know any effective profession (large corporation?) today that does not encourage (force?) individuals to share ideas in group meetings on a regular basis to make them more accountable to their peers and to make their institution(s) more effective? They can have meeting whenever because guess what? they don't have to schedule around 30 kids.
You didn't bust my
Sat, 10/09/2010 - 17:53 — aquaman4life68You didn't bust my bubble...99% is a rather big statement, but that's what you believe. With a statement that you just presented, you must know I'm on to some truth. Based on your name I am assuming you are a principal here? We all know people in your position HAVE TO support that, just to keep your job and keep the 6 figure salary makers up in central office happy!
They are not burned out, they have seen things come and go during their many years of service and this is one that will come and go as well. It is funny how people say "teachers comlain more than anyone" that's so typical. If you are a principal, why do you have that attitude? I always believe those that couldn't take the classroom and the demands go in to administration and it's easy for you to say all that, since you don't have the true understanding of what a teacher goes through. If you are not in the classroom I believe you have no clue how it really is. I know the good the bad and the ugly, but I myself will admit I can't truly say how burdened they are by all of these things. I'll look forward to looking back at these posts in say a year or 2 and see where PLT's were phased out.
Hi aquaman...
Mon, 10/11/2010 - 10:24 — hmoncelleHarry_Moncelle
I don't know if 99% of the teachers love or hat PLT's. What I do know is that in my school, my colleagues and I use the collaboration time to find ways in which to improve on what we are teaching, how we teach it and devise instruments that can measure if we met our goals or not. Then, how to we re-teach to insure our student's learned the material if they messed up the first time. It is great to have other educators to share ideas with and collaborate on solutions to our daily challenges. We do this during our common planning time, meeting once a week. I know that this PLT assists me in meeting the instructional needs of my students and I have never thought that was a "waste of time"
I suspect everyones
Sat, 10/09/2010 - 22:50 — HJ2ss2I suspect everyones perception is based on their personal experience as well as what information they may happen upon. I wonder why Del has not been talking to anyone? Could it be that he has cornered himself in an indefensable position? I believe that is why he refuses to talk with me. To use a phrase from another one of his asst superintendents "it won't be pretty".
"... endorsing Nichols
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 17:55 — woodstock"... endorsing Nichols today are (Dell Burns,) Bill McNeal and Bob Bridges. All three former superintendents are Democrats."
Now, there is a big surprise. But, the school leaders are non-partisan, right. LOLOL!
Hello EVAAS versus EI?
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 16:41 — TrailerParkGirl"...we must make decisions based on data and research, not ideologically driven agendas,” Burns said
He must mean except for the ideological agenda that FRL students should have lowered expectations.
Funny...
Sun, 10/10/2010 - 18:24 — Bob_SconceIn all the time he was the Superintendent, he couldn't demonstrate that the diversity policy worked. The best results the district could come up with were "inconclusive."
That is because it doesn’t work
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 13:34 — TrailerParkGirlThat is because it doesn’t work.
The “diversity policy” was the assignment arm of the At-Risk model. The Effectiveness Index was part of the achievement arm of the At-Risk model. It is not just a Wake County issue. The At-Risk model is/was widespread and was wholly supported locally by the former administration and some remaining members in the current administration, along with former BOE members and some members of the current BOE. I suspect it is the educators that didn’t toe the At-Risk line that felt some heat.
The At-Risk model does not work. That is part of why an Education Reform movement has emerged and is growing – because more and more people have come to understand that model doesn’t work. The places that either a) never adopted that model or b) have moved away from it already either a) never developed the achievement gap levels seen with the At-Risk model or b) are making progress on closing the gaps.
TPG, I was researching the
Tue, 10/12/2010 - 15:41 — DrActualFactualTPG, I was researching the dissimilarity index two days ago and an AERA report from WCPSS/N&O pdf report came up. The two authors made some interesting points especially recapping the decline of WCPSS over the past decade. Their research was lacking as the last paragraph indicates other things they could/should have looked at but still it is an interesting synopsis of the system. It is disappointing that many of the papers I wind up getting reference decades-old studies and are prior to the Seattle lawsuit, have come from unpublished papers and/or have statistical/numberical errors that the authors point out. Frankly, TPG, the cultural assumptions many of these papers reference are repulsive--and yet they are accepted as factual basis---uuggghh.
New School Board
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 16:36 — HereWeGoI quess you need to be careful who you step on even if they made you mad.
What do you mean? This is
Fri, 10/08/2010 - 17:58 — woodstockWhat do you mean? This is great! You gotta love it. Poor ol' Dell.