If the Wake County school board does remove Del Burns earlier than June 30, someone needs to step in soon as interim superintendent.
As noted in Saturday's article, there's no obvious choice like a deputy superintendent to step in because Burns eliminated that position in 2006 when he converted it to the new slot of chief business officer.
While it's not a guarantee, three potential internal choices for interim superintendent could be Chief Area Superintendent Danny Barnes, Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens and Chief Business Officer David Neter. Of the trio, only Neter is a non-educator.
The interim superintendent would likely need to serve for several months, especially if a national search is conducted. It's possible that the new permanent successor to Burns might not be available to start until this fall.
Options could include naming an in-house choice as interim superintendent for the long haul, naming an external candidate to hold the fort for awhile or picking an internal choice to do the job for a little while until someone else can be brought in as a long-term interim super.
One of the reasons given by members of the school board minority to let Burns stay through June 30 is to give more time to find an interim supt. Burns has said that one of the reasons he wants to stay on for the next four months is so that the board won't feel rushed finding an interim supt.
"I would hate to lose his direction and guidance with the system before we have the opportunity to bring a new superintendent on board," said school board member Kevin Hill in Saturday's article. "Even if we were not able to hire a new superintendent by June 30, that would give us time to bring in a well-qualified interim."
But school board member John Tedesco said there are administrators within Wake who could serve as interim superintendent without waiting until June 30.
One complication is that the senior staff, as noted in last week's In Context issue of the Wake Education Partnership, "believe strongly in the same goals as Burns." You may get resistance from some to accept being interim superintendent, especially in a situation where Burns is forced out early.
Comments
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Mon, 02/22/2010 - 12:26 — DrActualFactual.
Burns needs to be visually punished
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:54 — TOPASSISTANTWhat a message Del Burns sent to his students and staff! Like a little mindless child, he has shown himself to be, he needs to be punished.
Del Burns should be removed immediately from his office/position and assigned a room to think about his actions. He would have no window, phone, TV, radio, or anything to amuse himself. He would stay there until his contract expired.
The damage this man can do is untold.
Agree to a lesser degree
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:40 — Voice_of_Reason_All except the "rubber room". I think removal from his leadership position is more than appropriate. He should be given a special project position until he finishes his term.
This is what we call a "learning moment" for everyone. The resignation was acceptable, the press conference crossed the line.
Read his contract. I don't
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:46 — shank56Read his contract. I don't think he can be assigned to another position.
If that's the case
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:57 — Voice_of_Reason_Strip or alter his authority; if that's not possible, put him on paid leave.
Agreed. I'd rahter pay him
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 12:53 — woodstockAgreed. I'd rahter pay him to sit on is butt than to be an obstructionist subversive force.
Who John?
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:47 — supportwcpssWho are all these administrators who could fill in John? Who John? Let us know...
How not to manage a staff
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 08:24 — VadamsonThe new school board members act as if they have no idea how to manage a staff. First, no matter how mad you are you never discuss confidential personnel information. Also, when you make major changes it is important to discuss the changes with senior staff not just dictate.
With all the comments Mr. Tedesco and Mrs. Goldman have made regarding Dr. Burns I hope they have not put the taxpayers in a position where the school board can be sued causing the taxpayers unnecessary legal expenses and a settlement. I am not a legal expert but some of their comments sound slanderous.
I believe Dr Burns made his own bed
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:52 — Voice_of_Reason_I didn't see any breaches of personal information that Dr Burns didn't make public himself or that weren't already in the public record. BTW- this is not managing a staff, that's the super's job.
I do think that this is being drawn out too long, the school board should of called an emergency meeting right after the press conference and ousted him from position the next day. This would have sent a clear message that this type of behaviour is not tolerated.
I guess the next thing that you expect is a walk-out of the whole staff. Personally, if this draws out, I wouldn't be surprised.
Pfft...
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:05 — Bob_Sconce"All the comments" -- are you serious? Go back and look at what you're complaining about. Which comments are slanderous?
Eventually, Mr. Tedesco
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 10:37 — user12345Eventually, Mr. Tedesco and Mrs. Goldman will need to fire all the staff to get their way since they have not started out well instilling confidence and team building ... it is my way or the highway for them ... remember one manages boys clubs and the other is a volunteer firefighter without a lot of large scale personnel experience ...
USER, again think
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:28 — Voice_of_Reason_The BOE only hires the Super, the Super is the one to lead and most people if they value their jobs will go along. I think Mr. Dulaney realized this so he resigned, and Dr. Burns realized he couldn't do his job in his conscience so he resigned. If more people want to resign so be it, there are a lot of people looking for work.
The BOE only has to hire a Superintendent that shares their vision, the vision of the vast majority of school systems in this country.
But what a disaster to lose our staff
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 14:42 — festusHonestly, it would be far better for all of us if the new board were to take the high road starting tomorrow and indicate it values and trusts staff all the way down to teachers. Publicly doubting staff and impugning their integrity (I am thinking of the Board's reaction to the Forest Ridge cost numbers) is not the way to maintain morale, especially in the face of the great economic pressures already affecting teachers (do more with less, cuts).
But don't you see they are
Tue, 02/23/2010 - 00:23 — changewcpssBut don't you see they are taking the high road. Pretending that everything is rosy when it is not is the way of the old board. The new majority is action oriented and we will all benefit from this new approach.
Stop talking and patting yourself on the back (old board) and just do it (new board).
Trust is a two-way street
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:02 — woodstockTrust is a two-way street and must be earned. Burns has essentially said he cannot be trusted to do his job moving forward and a child can see the Forest Ridge numbers are wildly inflated.
Burns, as Superintendent, could have started the process of building trust. But, instead, he chose to disparage the new BoE members and Margiotta and created an environment of mistrust. This is why he needs to go.
"he...created an environment of mistrust"
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:13 — shank56Just spewed my lunch at the computer screen over that line.
It is a pity you don't have
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:22 — woodstockIt is a pity you don't have more self control than that.
You are right of course
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:12 — festusthat it is a two-way street. But you have your narrative backwards. The lack of trust started with the Board, and they eventually got Dulaney to resign, then Burns to resign. (Both of which the new board clearly desired, whatever they said.) That kind of badgering trickles down.
Festus, don't re-write history
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 16:40 — Voice_of_Reason_Dulaney resigned because the voters rejected his ideology, pure and simple. Dr Burns also, it's that simple. The voters wan't change and they got it, like it or not. If you think the people didn't then all you had to do is get the vote out, it was that easy. The media, the Democratic Party, and civil rights activists were on your side. I don't see that people cared enough to get out and vote for the status quo.
I agree.
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:39 — petehsThe lack of trust DID start with the Board...many years ago. To imply that our new Board members caused the current state of affairs is outrageous. Their elections, which were a mere 3 months ago, were direct results of the lack of trust propagated by past leadership.
YES YES YES!! You are
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 19:03 — aquaman4life68YES YES YES!! You are right. The old board, Del and Chuckie caused the election results of last Oct. and Nov.
Simple as that!
Applause!
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 16:56 — JanisTangoDulaney's and Burns'
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:21 — woodstockDulaney's and Burns' resignations had nothing to do with trust or lack of it, it had to do with disagreements on approaches to the challenges facing WCPSS.
Don't you think the
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:36 — user12345Don't you think the conversations which were not countered by the newbies that firing Del was on the table might have caused some mistrust? I remember John taking and deflecting that question when he was trying to get a new lawyer for Ron in one meeting. I was thinking that Del could take John's wishy washy answer wrong.
That was an inappropriate
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 18:57 — starsonoursThat was an inappropriate question based on speculation and rumors by Mr. Hill. How do you answer innuendo about a matter that should be discussed in a closed meeting (all matters dealing with employees). I to would take my time answering such a question to ensure I didnt violate the rules of the board. It was a question Mr Hill should not have asked in an open meeting.
Let's stop pretending, you
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:49 — woodstockLet's stop pretending, you know as well as I do that Burns was getting his digs in during the interviews and that what he said was less than appropriate.
Interesting to read the BOE bios
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 10:58 — shank56Look at the BOE page on the WCPSS website and look at the bios that the members submitted. Goldman has not supplied any info so I googled her and read her bio from her campaign. She has a lot of impressive experience volunteering, and it appears she doesn't have a college degree like Ron, best I can tell. She had the endorsements of both the Republican Party and the AFL-CIO. How often does that happen !
"She has a lot of impressive
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 12:32 — user12345"She has a lot of impressive experience volunteering, and it appears she doesn't have a college degree like Ron, best I can tell. She had the endorsements of both the Republican Party and the AFL-CIO. How often does that happen?”
Agree with your last point ... my point was that starting out by forcing people out, adding agenda items at the last minute, making the first order of business finding a new lawyer, etc. has not instilled much confidence from the rank and file ... eventually the board will need to settle down and not be a distraction ... otherwise they will undermine employee morale .... so, unless they intend to replace everyone, they need to learn to work with people .... BTW, I thought Debra's flyer said she was a Nittany Lion.
They didn't "find a new
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:05 — woodstockThey didn't "find a new lawyer," they contracted with one to perform a long overdue audit.
LOL ...
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:15 — user12345yeah ... priority one is doing a legal audit? ... that was not even a campaign promise ...
Your comments are better
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:34 — CaryCurmudgeonYour comments are better directed at Mr. Burns. He is the one who went on a media tour to discredit the board's policies. Board members have only commented on HIS public comments.
Discredit???
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:49 — supportwcpssI agree with carson...we are both waiting for a timestamp on the various interviews where Burns was slanderous or insubordinate.
Fundamentally oppsing and discredting are not the same thing.
Saying all that, I think he should go because it will otherwise be a circus for the next 6 months
"Saying all that, I think he
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 11:56 — CaryCurmudgeon"Saying all that, I think he should go because it will otherwise be a circus for the next 6 months"
Yet another matter we agree on, is this the beginning of detente?
lol
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 12:38 — supportwcpssDon't go that far CC. Independent of what happens to Del I think things are going to get much worse in the next 12 months. The path you outline just isn't reality. Fiding a super to take this job and walk into this firestorm is going to be really tough (IMO).
But we'll see...
There will be top-notch
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 15:12 — woodstockThere will be top-notch folks begging for this job. This is a name-making opportunity. A quality candidate will see the mess that has been created over the past decade by the status quo. They will be able to come in, work with new BoE and institute positive changes that will bring about measurable results.
What are "all the comments"
Mon, 02/22/2010 - 09:22 — woodstockWhat are "all the comments" Goldman and Tedesco made? All they've mentioned is the inapporopriateness of Burns' comments...which is evident. There have been no discussions of "confidential personnel information."
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Mon, 02/22/2010 - 12:25 — DrActualFactual.