School board candidate Cathy Truitt is revising her account of being asked if she'd support firing Supt. Del Burns.
Truitt had said on WPTF on Sept. 24 that school board member Ron Margiotta had asked her in a vetting interview if she'd support a motion to fire Burns. Truitt said Wednesday that she was asked that question but she's not sure if Margiotta was the questioner.
Truitt said that at several candidate vetting interviews she was asked the same question. The question was whether she would support firing Asst. Supt. Chuck Dulaney.
Truitt said her response was that only the superintendent can fire employees. (The superintendent is the only employee who is actually hired by the board.)
Truitt said that the next question was whether she'd support firing Burns if he refused to fire Dulaney.
Truitt said she can't recall now if Margiotta was one of the people who had asked her the Burns question at any of the meetings. She said Carol Sims, one of her supporters on the Greater Garner Advocates, is her witness that the question about firing Burns was asked at these interviews.
Margiotta, who has denied asking her the question or hearing it asked when she met with him, said Thursday he was gratified about Truitt's newest statement. But he said the original statement and the attack ad she ran has alienated him.
It wouldn't be easy or cheap for the new board majority to fire Burns.
The outgoing board had voted Aug. 18 to extend Burns's contract a year through June 30, 2013. Per his request in March, he didn't get any raise this year because of the recession.
Burns has an annual salary of $273,000. His total compensation is worth $312,790.
If the board doesn't try to fire him, the question is how much Burns would want to continue working in this new environment.
Comments
Argh.
Sat, 10/10/2009 - 18:33 — Bob_SconceThis just doesn't make any sense.
If she has a witness, why doesn't she just ask the witness who asked the question?
No response from Cathy
Sat, 10/10/2009 - 22:13 — MomknowsbestBefore the election I contacted Cathy about her stance on magnet schools, etc, but did not get a response from her at all. I emailed John Tedesco the same question and got a gratifying reply. In this respect, John will get my vote and support.
Good question. Why did
Sat, 10/10/2009 - 21:39 — CaryCurmudgeonGood question. Why did she wait so long to admit she was lying, and why did she wait so long to divulge who her witness was? Is she not comfortable about her association with Ms. Sims?
Personally, I am not at all comfortable with the idea of a person like this on our school board. She either has a very bad memory, or a very real problem with the truth -- either way, not someone we want advocating for our children.
I can't believe my eyes and
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 19:09 — dryeraseuserI can't believe my eyes and ears?!?!?! I am a teacher and I am completely alarmed with this lady! I can't believe (but you know, I can) how an adult running for a public elected office could just out right lie. To speak of it on radio and then back track and say that they are "not sure" what said what?!?!?
This needs to be FRONT PAGE NEWS!!!! The public and especially the citizens living in District 2 need to be aware of this. It's amazing how everyone is so upset about the election results....you know the winners that just want to return some respect to the board and listen to the teachers and parents and look out for what's best for the kids. BUT, they are the same people that would support and actually go out and VOTE for this lady?!?!?! If you truly support her and vote for her....YOU are the ones that wake county needs to fear...NOT the people that won the election. As a teacher, she would be one lethal weapon on that board and I HOPE district 2 comes out in HUGE numbers in support of John. I just wish I lived in district 2....John would def. have ONE MORE vote for him.
Truitt has to go!!!! She's too dangerous to all citizens in Wake County.
"HUGE numbers in support of John"
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 20:49 — g88ky07We did it Tuesday and we will increase his vote total by a lot more over the next 3 weeks. Actually, Truitt has already done that for us just by being herself!
Careful
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 14:22 — SDR256Be careful, Ms. Truitt. Your motives are showing. And its not a pretty sight. Make no mistake, this woman will do whatever she can, say whatever needs to be said for whatever audience she thinks is in power at the moment, to win for herself and her powerbroker friends. This is why WSCA could not back her. She is JUST the kind of person who would stand with the friends of the diversity policy on Monday and - when the wind shifted - state on the front page of the N&O that 'busing is dead'. Does she think we're all morons? I guess she is hoping there are fewer of us actually following the storyline than those who will show up in November never having heard of the whole thing. She is so intoxicated with the smell of the power of being the swing vote on the board that she will throw the very people who put her in that power under the bus - just to prove that she can. Some friend, Ms. Sims, that Cathy of yours. I'd keep one eye open on her if I were you.
And the contrast that John Tedesco presents to this is breathtaking. He is an idealist, has proven that he is altruistically in this for the kids - does what he says and says what he does. Transparent, smart, tough, charming, flexible, listens, thinks and idealistic. Who could ask for a better representative?
I can see why Cathy would want to present herself as a John-wanna-be in her latest chameleon colors. And the only difference she has to point out is a false negative one. I'll take the classic original, thank you very much, not the cheap knock off.
Mama always told me that the proof is in the pudding.
Is she telling the truth now?
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:52 — ncmpgjrDo we have character education in the Wake County Public Schools? Maybe she needs a refresher course. She said she had a witness. Are two people lying now? I'm curious to see what new version of this and every other issue she has in store for us next week.
Thank you Venita
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:03 — choice4allhttp://venitapeyton.com/ Wake Parents Are Due an Apology I'm waiting for a genuine public apology to be given to the parents who courageously insisted on change in the operation of the Wake County Public School System. So far, I haven’t heard mention of one. Parents (particularly those connected with the Wake Schools Community Alliance) were denounced everywhere. Practically labeled as racists. They suffered tremendous pain while being laughed at during a discussion at the Martin Street Baptist Church. An apology wasn't demanded by the Dr. Dudley Flood, Vernon Malone, Harold Webb, Rosa Gill, Dan Blue, nor any others in attendance.....(for the entire article click above link) IMHO....Truitt needs to be the first in line.
Thank you Venita for speaking the truth. Thank you WCSA. Thank you Mr Hui for standing strong and reporting the truth!
Keung speaks ....
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:27 — AgentPierceIn a related story Keung Hui announced that he has no idea what Rob Christensen's politics are ..... or that Beverly Perdue is a woman ..... but he IS certain that David Duke will be the next Supt of WCPSS.
This guy IS an unpaid intern, right?
Not true
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 14:58 — fiestamomBefore I go any further, let me assure you that I am a proud member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. I loathe the mainstream media. Having said that.... If all of the McClatchy reporters simply reported facts like Keung Hui does, McClatchy wouldn't be in the sorry shape it's in.
The rest of the N&O reporters would do well to copy Keung's method, which is, just report facts. Kristin Collins' article on Sunday? was pathetic and is about par for the course for the N&O, but take a look at Keung's reporting, and you may change your mind.
What are you talking about?
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:54 — TrailerParkGirlMr. Hui is the most fair, not to mention knowledgable, reporter the N&O has on educational issues.
Like I said, there are
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:54 — KeungHui (author)Like I said, there are people who think I'm a shill for the school system. One of these days I might blog about the former Democratic Party official who demanded to know what church I attended because he thought that must explain why he felt I was against the school system.
Flip Flop Truitt
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:25 — g88ky07It's unanimous, no one believes her!
If she gets more than 20% of the vote on Nov. 3rd I'll be surprised. She has now flipped flopped as much as the 648 lb. flounder I caught off the coast of Belize last year. ;c O
Holy mackerel! That's a big
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 11:05 — woodstockHoly mackerel! That's a big fish.
So today the wind is blowing from the SW
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 10:08 — TrailerParkGirlHow many times have Ms. Truitt's positions and stories changed in just a matter of a few weeks and months? Let us count the ways.
Wonder what direction the wind will blow from tomorrow. I hear it's expected to blow from the NE tomorrow. I wonder what new position that will bring.
Banging my head against my
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:46 — SouthEastWakeMomBanging my head against my desk.......I'll be voting for John Tedesco in the run-off just like I did a few days ago.
So are others in D2
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 12:09 — TrailerParkGirland this time they plan to bring even more voters to the polls for Tedesco with them.
liar, liar pants on fire
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:55 — AngelaWIf you want the status quo then vote for Horace Tart," Truitt said in the ad. "If you want a political pawn of Ron Margiotta and Western Wake County vote for John Tedesco. If you want an independent voice who will stand up and fight for better schools for Garner and Fuquay, then I ask for your support and vote.” http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/new-school-board-campaign-ad-attacks-western-wake
Debra McHenry has submitted a letter to the editor saying that there's a witness to Truitt's statements about Margiotta asking her if she'd support firing Supt. Del Burns. For background, McHenry unsuccessfully ran against Horace Tart for the District 2 school board seat in 2005.
http://www.wptf.com/goout.asp?u=http://billlumaye.blogspot.com/
http://www.wptf.com/goout.asp?u=http://billlumaye.blogspot.com/
That's an assertion made by Cathy Truitt during this afternoon's forum on WPTF for District 2 school board candidates. She said that Margiotta asked if she'd support a motion to fire the superintendent during a candidate vetting interview
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/alleging-an-effort-to-fire-wake-supt-del-burns
School board candidate Cathy Truitt is standing by her assertion that board member Ron Margiotta asked her if she would support a motion to fire Wake Supt. Del Burns.
http://blogs.newsobserver.com/wakeed/counterclaims-about-alleged-effort-to-fire-wake-superintendent
OMG!!!!!!!! she is a
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:28 — AngelaWOMG!!!!!!!! she is a BLATANT liar!!! It was on the radio and Hui blogged about it, and McHenry WROTE about it....are these people really this stupid? do they really believe the public this naive???
I am practically speechless at the GALL of this woman.....holy freakin' cow!
Bizarre!
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:31 — woodstockIf Truitt cannot remember who alledgedly asked her such a controversial question -- a presumably memorable question that compelled her to to attack Mr. Margiotta -- one would have to wonder about her mental sharpness/stability; also it raises concerns about her tendency to act implusively on uncertain or imagined information.
I listened to Truitts attack
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:23 — shearertwI listened to Truitts attack on Ron and the radio. She was very absolute in her claim. Now she's not so sure? Any one that votes for her in Nov, you're on notice now that you will be voting for a liar and therefore, you have no idea what she will do on the board. You might as well vote for Mickey Mouse.
ROFL. No different than the
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:31 — CaryCurmudgeonROFL. No different than the rest of her campaign, the story keeps changing. Truitt even went as far as having one of her power-broker friends submit a letter to the N&O attesting to the veracity of her initial claim (even though the author of that letter wasn't in the meeting).
And now she admits that it was a vetting review (maybe that is why she brought her seven-page resume to the meeting). Make no mistake, Ms. Sims presented Ms. Truitt as her candidate at that meeting.
With all of the attention on this issue, how could Ms. Truitt and Ms. Sims, who were both at the meeting, reach a new conclusion a month later on what was said?
Finally, if Ms. Truitt has not refused to have the discussion recorded, everyone could have listened to exactly what was said.
Remember her WPTF comments. She was upset that she had been asked about doing away with busing. Today she is saying that "busing is dead."
I propose a bond to buy out
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:19 — shearertwI propose a bond to buy out Burn's contract. Any other supporters?
First, I would suggest
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:30 — woodstockFirst, I would suggest reviewing the terms of his contract and see if he performed according to those terms. A buy-out may not be necessary.
I have no problem with
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:33 — shearertwI have no problem with that....but I'd still support the buy-out if necessary.
How Convenient
Fri, 10/09/2009 - 09:08 — JanisTangoWow...how convenient! Is she finally trying to take a page out of John's book on honesty! He came out and said neither Cathy or Horace had anything to do with that horrible sign that showed up on election day when it would have probably helped him to not to say a word!