There will be a leadership change in a few months at Wake NCAE, the group which represents 5,000 Wake County school system employees.
Tama Bouncer, a music teacher at Swift Creek Elementary School, will become Wake NCAE president in July. She will take over for Jennifer Lanane, who couldn't serve again because of term limits.
Lanane introduced Bouncer to school board members last week. Lanane will return to Holly Springs Elementary School and become the instructional resource teacher.
Lanane has had some pretty heated run-ins with the new board majority, particularly over the decision to end Wacky Wednesdays/Wake Wednesdays.
Comments
In a VERY fortunate turn of
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 11:36 — willynillyIn a VERY fortunate turn of events I had dropped my NCAE membership just prior to being railroaded by the WCPSS. I had also voiced my displeasure in the way NCAE President (2003) had handled certain "issues" for me. Now back then I was under the impression that I was being "represented" by this woman, but apparently i was not and had NO CLUE as to how these people were paid or who they were. Now it is all starting to make sense.
I joined PENC that year. When the WCPSS set their sights on me PENC (for a cost of about $90 for the entire year) took GREAT care of me providing me an attorney to accompany my other attorney. When both of these attorneys come out of the "question and answer session" with ther HR director, the WCPSS investigator and the WCPSS attorney using words like "witch hunt" you know things suck. Six years later (because the WCPSS ignored my requests for help and then told me too much time had passed) I am still trying to come to closure. I do hope the board takes the time to look at what the WCPSS does to it's teachers.
I'm with you on the "trying
Fri, 04/30/2010 - 23:10 — HJ2ss2I'm with you on the "trying to come to closure." How do you explain to a prospective new employer that, after ten years you quit your job before finding a new one because it was either resign or "I will make up lies about you next year so I can fire you while you are on the action plan".
Former Union Teacher
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 20:26 — dgraffAs a former Union Teacher in another state (and another time :>) I can understand the value of an association to have protection against unfair practices or "wild card" administrative actions.
North Carolina is a different story, altogether and this organization is clearly not a "union" or group that can offer "protection" for a teacher. Also, since NC is a right to work state and the WCPSS pays (even if reimbursed) for the NCAE Pres. it's hard to believe there wouldn't be some kind of influence.
Every speech I ever heard, or every conversation I ever had with Ms. Lanane showed her to very "party-line" and more "pro-district" policy, then 'pro-teacher" or association. She was also very disturbed when I shared the SAS report with her and discounted it's findings.
I had many converations and correspondents with some WCPSS teachers during the conversions and across the board they did not feel supported by her or the organization when they registered concerns.
Like many employers....wcpss was quick to silence and punish critics. I also had contact with those teachers) who openly attended Com. Eng. meetings or voiced opposition to calendar conversions were threatened with letters in their file or in some cases losing their jobs.
Correction/clarification on
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:41 — KeungHui (author)Correction/clarification on my part here. Wake pays the salaries for the Wake NCAE president and vice president, who are both officially considered to be teachers on loan. But the district bills NCAE, which ultimately covers the costs.
Well...
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:45 — Bob_SconceThat's a good deal better. I don't see why they should get this special status of being 'on loan' -- don't see any benefit to the district -- but at least we're not paying them.
It is better than WCPSS
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 17:26 — jenmanIt is better than WCPSS paying them, but still. How much can the NCAE fight for teachers when they are getting their initial pay from WCPSS? I've heard for years now that the NCAE doesn't really do much for teachers--that they end up just following whatever the super says.
A friend of mine holds office with a teacher's union in IL but I don't know if he gets paid to do the job. He still teaches full time and coaches. I can't imagine that the NCAE pres job is really full time. What does she do to fill that many hours?
Well...
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 17:29 — Bob_SconceIf you're Jennifer Lanane, the answer, apparently, is "Stew."
...
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:29 — SideburnsKeung,
Is this a local agreement with WCPSS or is this a state thing where every NCAE president is paid by the county's school system?
If local, can you point me to a link for the agreement?
Thanks.
I don't know Ms. Bouncer but
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:51 — jenmanI don't know Ms. Bouncer but I will trust Harry's opinion of her. :-)
It's time for Lanane to go since she has such a negative relationship with the BOE. Time for somebody new who can be objective and hopefully have better negotiating skills.
Shocking
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:43 — Bob_SconceI can't believe that this hasn't been brought up before. Why on earth has WCPSS been paying Lanane's salary? I'm sure some teachers are AAA members, yet WCPSS isn't contributing to the salary of the AAA president.
The school board should put the kibosh on that and tell Bouncer that if NCAE's not willing to pick up her salary themselves, that they're willing to keep her as a Music Teacher, but that they won't pay her just to be the NCAE president. And, if the NCAE does pay her, she shouldn't have a preference in getting a job with WCPSS when she leaves NCAE -- she should get in line along with any other WCPSS alumni.
Wake has been paying the
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:59 — KeungHui (author)Wake has been paying the salary of the Wake NCAE president for as long as I've been here. It's not a new thing.
Yeah....
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:20 — Bob_SconceI don't doubt it. But, all that means is that the district has been wasting money for as long as you've been here.
I agree Bob. How are
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:47 — jenmanI agree Bob. How are teachers in other states paid to be officers in their unions? (I realize that NCAE isn't truly a union, but the idea is the same) Are they paid?
WEll..
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:18 — Bob_SconceIn states where public employees have the right to collectively bargain and go on strike, unions generally negotiate for the district to pay for their president. But, the presidents generally teach as well -- If I recall correctly, the president of my home school district's union taught high school social studies.
But, when there's a full-fledged union with the right to collectively bargain, call strikes and so on, the union president has a job of representing the teachers in the union. It's a real job that (at least in theory) benefits all the teachers in the district. Not so here.
In any case, not all WCPSS teachers are part of NCAE. Yet, their salaries are all marginally reduced by Lanane's salary.
Is the NCAE president's
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:28 — HJ2ss2Is the NCAE president's salary really paid by Wake County? Isn't that a conflict of interest? That explains why the NCAE representative was ineffective in "representing" me. Prior to the meeting, as I was preparing, my assigned representative said to me, as he sat in my office looking forlorn...."some of us just aren't made for work places like this". He never spoke in my behalf during the meeting which the principal used as a vehicle to demean and devalue me. At the end I was asked by the principal if I had anything to say. After thinking about it.....I asked, "In the 10 years I worked here, have I done anything right?"
Most definitely a conflict
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:48 — jenmanMost definitely a conflict of interest. If I were a teacher I wouldn't trust them to look out for my bests interests if they are being paid by WCPSS.
I learned the hard way. I
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:06 — HJ2ss2I learned the hard way. I was told by other faculty to join the organization when it became apparent that the principal was harrassing me. Strong words, I know, but the whole experience was a nightmare.
Something's fishy
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 13:32 — Bob_SconceWho has been paying Lanane's salary and who will be paying Bouncer's?
Lanane apparently hasn't taught in WCPSS for years; why does she get to come on-board with a job when there are so many teachers who are losing theirs?
The Wake NCAE president is
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:10 — KeungHui (author)The Wake NCAE president is considered a full-time job so the school district traditionally releases that person from regular duties while continuing to pay the person's salary. Lanane had been a first-grade teacher at Holly Springs Elem. before she left to become NCAE president.
Well...
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:41 — Bob_SconceI think we just found a way to save an additional $60K or so per year.
unreal - what a boondoggle.
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:55 — loriacunreal - what a boondoggle. I agree.
??
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:19 — loriacSo the Wake NCAE president continues to be paid by WCPSS even if they are not doing the job anymore? (not sure if I understand your post)
Doesn't the NCAE president position come w/ a salary paid by that organization?
Oh, but they do continue to
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 16:25 — HJ2ss2Oh, but they do continue to work for Wake County! They represent the administration by allowing them to dispose of career status teachers who do not do as they are told. What happened here would never have happened in other school systems in which I worked.
It's pretty much the way I
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 15:07 — KeungHui (author)It's pretty much the way I wrote it. Wake pays the salary of the Wake NCAE president while releasing that person from other duties. I don't know if NCAE pays the salaries of local chapter officers.
Even though Wake County is
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 22:58 — HJ2ss2Even though Wake County is reimbursed for the payment of the NCEA president, they still control that person. I suspect, that if the "President" does anything contrary to the expectations of Wake County , they risk the chance of losing their previous position and returning to circumstanses that would force "a reasonable man" to resign.
Interestingly, in the "scripted meeting", I experience, the principal greeted the NCAE rep as if they were fond friends. (I knew what she was trying to do.) I also know that the rep was told that I was to be terminated because initially he assured me that there was no reason my good name should be tarnished. After about a week he started repeatedly asking me if I did anything I failed to tell him about. I quickly became tired of his questioning and provided him an example that I don't think I should repeat in a relatively widely read blog. It did shut him up. The rest of my experience proved I was correct.
Change is on the way!
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 13:19 — hmoncelleHarry_Moncelle Ms. Bouncer brings excellence and competence to Wake County NCAE. She demonstrates superlative skill in working with others and is an outstanding professional educator. All audiences that make up the diverse and complex community of Wake County will be well served by her leadership and exptertise.
Return? As in she took a
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 12:37 — red_balloonReturn? As in she took a break from teaching? What happens to the current IRT at Holly Springs?
Anyone know?
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 12:12 — louiselee44How many employees are there in the WCPSS that are eligible to be a member of NCAE?
Last number I saw had it at
Thu, 04/29/2010 - 14:16 — KeungHui (author)Last number I saw had it at 17,500 employees. Any employees can join. Most of Wake NCAE's members are teachers.
Thanks Keung
Sat, 05/01/2010 - 12:04 — louiselee44So..... NCAE has 5,000 members out of a pool of 17,500. Hmmm...
The "pressure" to join NCAE has been there as long as I can remember - certainly back in the late seventies when I began teaching.
It's interesting - a few years ago, NCAE spoke out publicly and adamently against an issue before the General Assembly. As they heard from teachers, etc. who weren't afraid to tell the truth, they polled their members, and found that over 60% actually favored the initiative. I think they polled members twice - but at any rate, to save face with their membership, NCAE had to eat their words, do a complete about-face, and start supporting (albeit reluctantly) the initiative that they had so vehemently opposed. That might have been a first!
I know some fine people who have held high leadership positions on the state level for NCAE, but, just like anywhere else, priorities and opinions fluctuate greatly as various leaders come and go.