Out of the Frying Pan . . .

And into the Hornet’s Nest

I don’t know about you, but this sounds familiar to me:

From the Taunton Gazette, August 20, 2007 “The school district is facing a $3 million budget shortfall and was forced to eliminate 15 positions earlier this month. Adding to the budgetary problems, the School Committee did not approve a budget until Aug. 1 — a full month after the new fiscal year began. ‘There’s been a lot of change,’ Stellar said. ‘There are accountability issues and budgetary issues. I didn’t create these things.’”
http://www.tauntongazette.com/education/x477565212

So, maybe Dr. Stellar is our guy. Sounds like he has some experience dealing with some of the same issues that our county has dealt with. I would warn the current board majority that Dr. Stellar does not appear to “suffer fools gladly,” and that they may have hired someone who has personal/professional/academic standards that they (and maybe not many of us) would ever measure up to.

Dr. Stellar appears to be no shrinking violet. From what I have gathered in my research over the past couple of hours, Dr. Stellar appears to have a strong personality. He appears to possess above average (dare I say “stellar”?) intelligence. He appears to be a very literate and scholarly person. He appears to have the ability to press on with his agenda in spite of disagreement from school boards or subordinates. He appears to have the ability to keep current and future school boards “in line” – a double-edged sword – a boon if he is keeping the current school board from overstepping their bounds, a disaster if he is keeping reasonable school board members from performing their statutory duties.

He also appears to value accreditation. I wonder how he ever got the job considering the board majority’s antipathy toward our high school’s accreditation. The following is a quote from Dr. Stellar regarding Taunton Schools: “ 'When colleges look at scholarships and admissions for two students being [otherwise] equal, and one comes from an accredited high school, the accredited high school [graduate will have the advantage],' Stellar explained recently." http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1624693250

While all of those traits can be beneficial, I am not sure that that is what the employees of the Burke County Public Schools need at this time (and transitively, the students of the Burke County Schools). Susan and I agree with Buddy and Sam that the election of a superintendent right now is a huge mistake. I also agree that in a county with traditional values that is made up of folks genetically pre-disposed to be suspicious of outsiders, with attendant massive school board dysfunction and budgetary woes, Dr. Stellar is going to have his hands full.

I would even say we needed a “healer.” I don’t think we got one.

Dr. Stellar/Steller has dealt with some heavy issues in the past – including integration in Oklahoma City, and a US Appeals Court case originating in the same school system. See: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/03/us/must-busing-go-on-till-racial-balance-is-exact.html?pagewanted=all and http://ca10.washburnlaw.edu/cases/1998/06/96-6134.htm. So I can understand why he might say in the meeting last night that all school systems have conflicts. I hope that sentiment doesn’t mean that because he feels that conflict is part of the job, that creating more conflict is just a matter of course, and not something to be minimized (to some extent).

We REALLY do not need more conflict. REALLY.

So, once we have allowed our brains to process all of the information received last night we will all have clearer thoughts about how to proceed. We think we must give Dr. Stellar a chance, and ask that he meet us halfway by resolving to communicate with the stakeholders and school staff.

Dr. Stellar –
Welcome to Burke County. We understand that you have been exposed to outright hostility from the public, and we apologize for that. That hostility is directed at the board majority. Please know that that hostility is not the hostility of a lawless, violent “mob” as has probably been portrayed to you. This hostility is a result of the governed withdrawing their consent to be governed by this board majority by any non-violent means at the mob’s disposal. And please remember that this “mob” is made up of all kinds of people – non-high-school graduates, high-school graduates, college graduates, MS’s, JD’s, PhD’s, Ed’S’s, MDiv’s, MD’s - we run the gamut, and, unlike the board majority, we feel we have the best interests of our children in mind.

In the meantime, we (Stroup, Wilkinson, Armour and Thomas) will continue campaigning for our cause. We must win the board seat majority. Thank you, dear readers and supporters, for your faith in us. We value your input and support.

PS:

Please keep Sam and his family in your prayers.

To "L"

Today I received a profound message from a county employee that I would like to share with readers, but I was asked not to post it. The gist of the email is that employees of the school system are weary of fighting for so little in pay and that a new school board is not going to be able to fix the distrust between the employees and administration easily. (The message encompassed more sentiments than that, but unless the author gives me the “ok,” I won’t post more.) I also warn you that this particular post focuses on teachers, but I fully realize that classified employees are in a similar position.

Anyway, as soon as I read that comment this morning at 6:05 am, I was struck by the familiarity of sentiment that the writer conveyed. The helplessness and the frustration, the feeling of being undervalued – not just by the current school board – but by society in general and Burke County in particular. To clarify, these are my anecdotal observations:

Society undervalues teachers. That is a truism. However, most folks understand and agree that teachers are not paid what they are worth. I am always chagrined when I hear people talk about teachers being overpaid or that they have two month vacations, so they do not deserve to be paid on par with everyone else. I often attribute that sentiment to folks who are resentful of the education that teachers have or don’t understand that teachers have made an investment in their education that they have to pay back. I wonder if those folks realized that if teachers were paid on an hourly basis, they would make less money than many factory workers.

I notice that Burke County frequently loses young teachers to adjacent counties. It seems to me that we get new teachers, keep them for about two years, and then they move away to counties with larger supplements. So, Burke County essentially gives these folks two years of training and incubation and then provides adjacent counties with teachers who have been ‘seasoned.’ (Granted two years is not a lot of “seasoning,” but listening to teachers talk about their career lives, the first couple of years seem to be fraught with the most anxiety.)

Another feeling that was conveyed to me by the message I received this morning was a pervasive feeling of anxiety – not an immediate “stage fright” kind of anxiety, but a low grade, constant, post-traumatic -stress disorder kind of anxiety. I ‘get’ that, and to explain why, I’ll have to fill you in on a little information on my personal life, so bear with me –

My husband Joe is an airline pilot for a major airline. He has been an airline pilot for a long time (over 20 years). Currently he is a 767 captain and flies international trips. Back in 2000, Joe was a captain, and was flying a lot of transcontinental trips from New York to Los Angeles. The airline industry was beginning to decline. By that time I learned how the dynamic between the “company” and its union groups operated. The “company” tended to pit union groups against each other – “well flight attendants, you can’t have a raise because those pesky pilots are insisting that they have a third pilot in the cockpit on those 16 hour flights, and the bottom line is that we can’t afford both – and you know how unreasonable those pilots are.” So, the airline workers were in a constant state of anxiety and resentment towards the other work groups – and the company seemed to sit back and yank the chains when things seemed to go too smoothly.

Then September 11th happened. Thankfully Joe was not flying that day. Some of the flights that were targets were flights that he regularly flew. To say that day was chilling was an understatement – but we all have September 11th stories. Anyway, 9/11 catalyzed the downward spiral of the airline industry. Not only did my husband have to fly with the unsettling thought that there could be terrorists on his plane, but a slew of other life-altering events followed. The pilots at his airline took a pay cut of 33% (which has never been restored) while the executives continued to be paid exorbitant salaries, retention bonuses and other perks. My husband’s name, “Joseph Thomas,” was listed on the terror watch list. So, every time he went to work, he had to undergo extra security screenings (this particular practice just stopped THIS WEEK due to new software the TSA is using – but Joe has had to deal with this for 8 years). So, the reality was that Joe could hold the lives of hundreds of people in his hands everyday – every flight – but omg! What if he has a pocketknife in his kitbag!?! I could write a book about the hassles and loss of income that followed 9/11, but you get the point.

There are certain things one signs on for when one chooses a profession. In Joe’s case it was long days away from family, commuting to far away cities to get to work, strange and ever-changing monthly schedules and the inability to be able to quit one’s job and move to another airline without starting all over again in seniority. But Joe loves to fly. So, in spite of all of the added difficulties (i.e. things he didn’t sign on for - like loss of income, loss of public’s respect for authority in an airplane cabin, “enhanced” security screenings and the ever impending suspicion that airline bankruptcy is just months away ) he continues to fly. But let me tell you, it has not come without anxiety for our whole family.

So, how does this relate to the sentiment of anxiety here in Burke County? We all take it for granted that teachers are “called” to teach. It is a vocation. Because it is a vocation, many seem to think that teachers will put up with anything for the sake of the children. While that is true in many instances, many teachers in Burke County have probably reached their breaking point. Pay cuts, endless scrutiny from those who have no knowledge about teaching or about the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, constant ( and baffling) berating by the Board of Education regarding test scores, witnessing huge amounts of money driving away in a Lexus to Raleigh – these things are not what teachers signed on for. And the immediate anxiety that teachers have felt this past year is either going to evolve into a low grade constant anxiety with accompanying personal depression*, or that immediate anxiety is going to result in a mass exodus of qualified, experienced teachers from our county. We, as a county, can afford neither.

And now we have an impending announcement about a new superintendent. Only 9 or so people know what salary and benefits this person has been offered to take over the school system here in Burke (the school board, Mr. Schwartz and the candidate himself). And I guess only some of those folks know how Burke County Public Schools are going to pay the local supplement for this person since the fund balance will most likely be less than zero after legal bills are paid.

All I can say to teachers and staff of BCPS is to “please hold on.” Tie a knot in the rope that you are holding on to. In a particularly bad situation in my life I had the benefit of great counseling – my minister at the time told me that even though it felt like I was holding on to a rope that was suspended high above the rafters, at some point, I would let go, and the ground would be right under my feet. I truly believe that with the right board majority we have a chance to “raise the floor.” But to get to that point we must continue to hold on and do the work that must be done to change the board majority. I know that many of you are doing that work and my team mates and I are grateful. Please know that we are working hard, too – trying to get the message out that we will do everything in our power to make a difference to the teachers, staff and students of the Burke County School system.

And, you’ll have to continue to “hold on” even if we are elected. The economy isn’t great. We have a lot of work to do. But hopefully, little by little, we can re-build the trust, rebuild the respect and eventually rebuild the finances so that BCPS staff – classified and certified – have their pay and raises restored and enhanced. It is my belief that the students will benefit from these changes beyond measure.


*I am not nor do I claim to be a mental health professional, although my children have accused me of being "mental" on occasion. Anyhow, this particular statement comes from my own observation of life - take it or leave it.

Vision Statement

If we are elected, the four of us have specific plans for impacting the school board. We recognize that the board’s sole personnel responsibility is hiring and working with the Superintendent. We also understand that the board’s other responsibilities include policy-making that supports the personal and academic needs of the students, teachers and the community at large. We understand that the board’s job is not to run the schools, but to support the well-qualified on-site administrators to manage the schools on a day to day basis.

Regarding Board Meetings:

1. We plan to allow public comments at every scheduled meeting. We will only call “Special Called Meetings” or “Emergency Meetings” when circumstances actually warrant them.
2. We will hold meetings in venues that accomodate the public.
3. We will release redacted closed session minutes as soon as practical, taking into consideration the legal issues regarding the release of those minutes.
4. We will recognize students and teachers at board meetings for their outstanding contributions to the school system or for their exemplary work.
5. We will endeavor to make every decision as transparent as possible, and to allow the public the opportunity to “weigh in” on those issues.

Regarding Board/Public Relations:

1. We plan to hold a community forum in early December and to follow that with forums in all parts of the county so that the public can communicate with the board their expectations of them.
2. We want to explore the possibility of establishing citizen advisory groups to help innovate in areas such as exceptional children, gifted children, the arts, vocational training, and closing the achievement gap.
3. We will strive to be professional in our manner and our dress.

Regarding Academic Freedom:

1. We will rely on the professional judgment of teachers and administrators to manage their own classrooms and schools. We support academic freedom in the classroom as it complies with North Carolina Standard Course of Study.
2. We support the reversion of the book policy to the book policy previously in place – with added language that clarifies a parent’s ability to discuss an assigned book or alternative with the teacher who assigns it.
3. We recognize that supplemental media (movies, songs, etc) are useful in the classroom and we support the teacher’s discretion in utilizing such media for classroom use. We will work to amend the supplemental media policy so as to restore their discretion in utilizing that media.
4. Although not exactly “academic freedom,” the freedom to express oneself in one’s clothing is a freedom nonetheless. We support the reversion to the dress code in place for the past years, and will rely on the principals and administrators on site to enforce that code.

Regarding Fiscal Policy:

1. We hope to restore the hours and wages of classified workers and full supplements to teachers and administrators as soon as possible.
2. We pledge to encourage the use of state and federal funds to the fullest to allow more flexibility with local funds.
3. We pledge to assist the superintendent in placing the right people in positions of authority to creatively maximize funds.
4. We pledge to work cooperatively with our Burke County Board of Commissioners, who also recognize the value of having a superior Burke County Public School system.
5. We hope to assist the superintendent in weighing personnel needs in every department. We will encourage the use of cross-training to become more efficient.
6. We will endeavor to rebuild the fund balance so all schools will be supplied equally.
7. We will endeavor to have the Chief Financial Officer present a report on the budget of our school system to the public monthly.

Regarding activities of the school board:

1. We understand that the current school board will appoint a superintendent in spite of the public’s request that they suspend their search until after a new board is seated.
2. We pledge to work with the new superintendent to the best of our abilities.
3. We pledge to make sure that any new superintendent works solely for the benefit of the school system, and not for anything or anyone else.
4. We understand that School Board members should be role models for the community, and should be worthy of the respect of teachers and administrators who have the most important job of educating our students.
5. We understand that it is the school board’s duty to comply with the SACS CASI recommendation, not the superintendent’s duty or the school personnel’s duty, and we have a plan to deal with that as published in the Morganton News Herald.
6. We respect that a board of education only has authority as a unit and that no individual member should act on behalf of the board without the full knowledge and approval of the board members.
7. We will aspire to be honest, professional, positive and worthy of the public’s trust.

These are but a few of our pledges should we be elected to the school board. We have been focused on improving and restoring the system – not tearing it down. We hope that you, the public, will be a part of this great work.

(This is a "work in progress" influenced by comments and viewpoints of stakeholders.)

Thank you.

Susan Stroup
Sam Wilkinson
Buddy Armour
Catherine Thomas

My teammates are much more eloquent than I am. I have spent a lot of time with Sam, Buddy and Susan, and I am constantly impressed with their vision and their common sense. If elected, we will do everything in our power to make the school board about supporting the students, teachers and administration, and not about our personalities.

I am also touched by the support our team gets from our friends and fellow citizens. One of my favorite lines from a song is “No one respects the flame quite like the fool who is badly burned.” The citizens of Burke County have been burned. A voter turnout of ~8900 people in the last county election indicates we may have been foolish. But there are folks out there who are willing to give us a chance to make things right. To prove that the board can function the way it was intended, and that its members can function with some degree of professionalism and transparency.

I am far from perfect. I make mistakes all of the time (ask my 15 year old son). The four of us are all a little quirky. But I can promise you that we will do the best we can, because we do not want to let the children or those who support us down.

We realize that re-building the trust of the community is going take a long time, and I fully expect to be called to task for decisions or statements that I might make as a member of the school board. I am sure that we have all done or said things in the past that we wish we had not, and I am sure that we will do or say (or write) things in the future that we wish we had not. We are not in this race for glory, or power or “payback. “

At this time, in this county, in this situation, I believe that we are the best choice for the Burke County School Board.

We know that there is much work to be done, and we hope to gain your trust as we do that work together – as a school board and as a community.

WE HAVE A PLAN TO SAVE OUR ACCREDITATION.

DO THEY?

We realize that the effects of losing accreditation will be far reaching. We both have children who are sophomores in the Burke County system, and we know that loss of accreditation would affect our families immediately. We also understand that the whole county will be affected by a loss of accreditation due to the exodus of qualified teachers and students to accredited school systems, the loss of business and industry, and the loss of real property value - just to name a few.

We also realize that we do not have all of the answers. We rely on the good will of the public - the “Stakeholders” – and we respect the public and value their input and their participation in keeping our accreditation. We are all – board members and stakeholders – going to have to “roll up our sleeves” to get this done.

The following is a suggested plan for dealing with the SACS mandates. We realize that opinions may differ (and we welcome public discourse, constructive criticism and suggested changes) on this “plan.” But we have to start somewhere. The current board is most welcome to use this as a “blueprint.”

WE MUST PUT THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS FIRST.


Problem:
The Burke County Public School Board must establish and implement a collaborative process to involve stakeholder groups in the development and understanding of a system-wide vision and purpose to guide the continuous improvement process, allocation and alignment of resources, and daily actions of all members of the school community. Stakeholder groups must include school and district leadership, teachers, classified staff, parents, community and business leaders, students, civic and governmental leaders, ensuring representation of all demographic and geographical areas in Burke County.

Solution:
We plan to hold a Community Forum Series at various county schools, with a “Kick-off” event the first week in December. The county will be invited to the December event, and we will coordinate with professionals (mediators, facilitators, counselors, etc) who are willing to donate their time to help coordinate the Community Forums so that anyone interested can be a part of developing the “System-Wide Vision and Purpose” for our schools.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must be able to validate that all actions and behaviors of board members are fully aligned with the official Board policies, and all applicable AdvancED Accreditation Standards.

Solution:
All board members must be involved in the creation/updating of policies, and must vow to uphold those policies. Board members will be required to review AdvancED Accreditation standards, and will review these during Open Session at least once a year.

Problem:
The decorum of all board meetings must reflect the professionalism required of all those who are defining the quality of education for the community.

Solution:
We believe that once the board members show respect to the public, the public will show respect to the board members. We encourage all parties to engage in restraint and to refrain from inciting bad behavior from the other party.

Problem:
Burke County Board of Education must develop and conduct an ongoing self-evaluation process using an approved, professionally developed instrument, to determine strengths and needs for growth of individual board members and the board as a body. Results are to be used to develop the professional development plan for the board.

Solution:
Engage resources such as the North Carolina Institute of Government or Appalachian State University to assist the board in adopting a professionally developed self-evaluation process. Concentrate in acquiring Continuing Education Hours on this subject.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education and district leadership must develop and implement a plan for the professional development of all board members to include a timeline for deliberate and extensive training in the roles and responsibilities of the board, ethics, orientation of new board members, SACS CASI/AdvancED Standards, and parliamentary procedure.

Solution:
Arrange for a board retreat in January to include covering all subjects above. Seek suggestions from SACS CASI, NC Institute of Government as to who could conduct and facilitate this retreat. Ask for financial assistance from county commissioners and other stake holders if necessary to fund this.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must develop and implement a comprehensive process and timeline for the revision and communication of school district policies to review and update needed policies, garner understanding of the policies, their procedures, and the impact for the board and district leadership.

Solution:

1. Each board member will be assigned 1 or 2 policy manual chapters
2. The board member would form a stakeholders group (staff, parents, community) to work on updating that chapter (board member would set meeting dates, deadlines, etc.)
3. Local Counsel would be part of the process ensuring that state and federal laws are followed.
4. We would develop a timeline that each group was to report back to the full board
5. Post the policy ideas on the web and the newspaper for public review.
6. Require policies to be available to public before first readings.
7. Allow public to comment on policies at every meeting where policy is read and/or taken action on.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must develop, commit to, and individually sign an ethics policy and code of conduct that governs the actions, work, and behaviors of the board and staff, as well as appropriate steps when said policy is violated.

Solution:
Adopt a Code of Ethics similar to that below, and lobby our legislators to provide a means to investigate violations and to enforce the code. In the mean time, develop a means of “censuring” board members who have been proven to have violated the Code of Ethics.

This Code of Ethics signifies the strong commitment on the part of the School Board to base our decisions and actions on ethical standards. It recognizes the role and defines professional behavior needed in order to fulfill our obligations of being effective and responsible Board Members.

This Code reflects the deeper sense of purpose and direction which governs our work. Our ethical behavior “speaks” loudly as an example to the young people we serve. It is, in fact, one of the wisest lessons in teaching and learning we can offer.

While serving as a member of the Burke County Board of Education, I will accept the responsibility to improve education, and I will:

1. Remember that my first and greatest concern must be the educational welfare of all students attending Burke County public schools;
2. Obey the laws of North Carolina and the United States;
3. Respect the confidentiality of privileged information;
4. Recognize that as an individual Board Member I have no authority to speak or act for the Board;
5. Respect the right of other Board Members to have and express ideas that differ;
6. Work collaboratively with other Members to establish effective Board policies;
7. Delegate authority for the administration of the schools to the Superintendent and staff;
8. Encourage ongoing communications among Board Members, students, staff, and the community;
9. Be open, fair and honest;
10. Render all of my decisions based on available facts, appropriate public input and my independent judgment;
11. Make every effort to attend all Board meetings;
12. Come to Board meetings informed concerning the issues under consideration;
13. Give staff members the respect and consideration due skilled professional employees;
14. Improve my ability to serve as a School Board Member by studying educational issues and participating in appropriate professional development;
15. Support the employment of staff members based on qualifications;
16. Cooperate with other Board Members and Administrators to establish a system of regular and impartial evaluations of all staff;
17. Avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance thereof;
18. Refrain from using my Board position for benefit of myself, family, or other business associates;
19. Express my personal opinions, but once the Board has acted, accept the will of the majority; and
20. Maintain professional decorum when discussing school matters, and dress appropriately (professionally) when representing the school board.

I acknowledge that the following are unethical behaviors and will refrain from such actions:

1. Seeking personal advantage from membership on the Burke County Board of Education;
2. Intimidating Burke County Public School staff through words or deeds;
3. Making disparaging remarks about other Board Members;
4. Discussing confidential business in public or to anyone not privy to such information;
5. Placing the interests of individuals or groups ahead of the interests of the district and all students in the Burke County Public School; and
6. Conducting unauthorized activity on the Board’s behalf away from the School Board meetings.
   

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must engage in professional development for conflict resolution and team building communication skill development, engaging a professional mediator to establish productive communication and professional working relationships among board members, staff and community stakeholders.

Solution:
Engage a professional mediator to train all board members on constructing productive and professional communications and working relationships. Engage in Community Forums conducted by professional volunteer mediators, facilitators and counselors as mentioned above. Encourage board members, staff and stakeholders to attend.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must establish a written process and timeline to resolve issues and re-establish collaboration with governmental and civic entities in the county, i.e., law enforcement, the county commission, and chamber of commerce.

Solution:
We recognize the powerful role that business and industry plays in the maintenance and development of the community and the school system. Local businesses have always given generously in their support of local schools. We recognize the important role and vested interest that the County Commissioners have in collaborating with the school board. We recognize that public safety officials first order of duty is to protect the public, and we will not create situations in which they are needlessly pulled from more important duties to enforce our agenda.

At the first board meeting in December, we plan to resolve by written resolution, to re-establish cordial working relationships with law enforcement, county commissioners and Chamber of Commerce. We plan to immediately re-join Chamber of Commerce, using funds requested from the County Commissioners or funds donated by stakeholders for this purpose.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must expand the search for a new superintendent to include a process to gather and utilize significant stakeholder input into desired qualities, characteristics, and qualifications for the new superintendent, extending the search process to ensure national publication of the vacancy and to ensure quality applicants.

Solution:
This mandate is beyond our control, as the board majority continues on their quest to fill this position before the November elections. Our suggestion, like those of many others, is to immediately suspend the search for new superintendent.

Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must ensure that all conditions of the censure of Board member Hairfield are concluded within 30 days of the receipt of this report by the district.

Solution:
This mandate is beyond our control. Our suggestion would be to immediately meet with leaders from the African American and Hispanic communities to see what suggestions they have as to how to comply with the conditions of censure as soon as possible.


Problem:
The Burke County Board of Education must develop a written plan including a timeline for the provision of training board members in effective boardmanship. Continue to review and educate themselves on the policy changes, particularly in the area of board and superintendent/management team relations; in conjunction with this, develop and employ a written communication plan, which includes an implementation timeline for educating themselves, staff, and the public.

Solution:
Developing a timeline will be a process to which the whole board must contribute. We suggest that the process begin in January with a board retreat facilitated by professionals well versed in the establishment of these timelines and who will assist us in developing a written communication plan.

Susan Stroup, Sam Wilkinson, Buddy Armour and Catherine Thomas

Those darn minutes!

Tim Rooks gave me permission to post the following regarding his impressions of some of the Board Majority's allegations against Mr. Burleson. It is a long read, but well worth your time and attention.

Thanks Tim.

The meeting minutes below put some of the "allegations" made by the BOE into context and I think reflect on the hollowness of the allegations, but rather than comment on them, I'll allow intelligent folks to draw their own conclusions. I do not address the EBHS incident because that subject was discussed for over 9 months as reflected in the meeting minutes and is a dead issue. Reading the 2006 and 2007 meeting minutes, however, provides a good understanding of the agenda of this board majority, the hypocrisy of their words, and the impression that this glaring dysfunction began with the election of this board Chair and Vice-Chair. The other benefit of reading the minutes is to make clear who supports this board majority, especially in the context of their "hear no evil, see no evil" approach to life. The "supporters" of Tim and Tracy are identified in those minutes, especially as it relates to the revisions to the Media Policy back in 2006. I won't name names, but the minutes do..... so read em and know your opposition.

Here goes::::

Allegation: "The board had previously noted serious concerns about serving the needs of children in the exceptional children's program and had directed the superintendent to ensure that our education programs are meeting the needs of all children."

11-20-06 BOE Meeting Minutes: " Mrs. Norman acknowledged she attended a No Child Left Behind Session before the conference began. Michael Resnick spoke during the session and mentioned some changes may be made in the NCLB legislation. They are also looking for state monies to help fund this federal legislation. She noted he stated NCLB was here to stay, no matter who was in the United States Presidency. Mr. Burleson mentioned that school systems had not received extra funds to implement the legislation with the NCLB. He also mentioned the insufficient funds received to meet the needs of exceptional students. Currently funding for exceptional students has a 12.5% cap, but Burke County Schools is approaching 20% of students who need these services."

02-05-07 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Mr. Buff mentioned the exceptionally high number of EC students in Burke County Public Schools and the lack of sufficient funding from the state for these students. He suggested presenting this to the commissioners. Mr. Burleson stated this issue should also be brought to the attention of our legislators. Currently, about 17% of our students receive EC services, but we only receive funding for 12.5%."

02-19-07 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Possible Meeting with Legislators – Mr. Burleson asked the board if they would like to have a meeting to discuss some issues with our area legislators. Mr. Buff mentioned he would like to discuss the lack of EC funding with them. Mr. Burleson indicated he had spoken to some individuals about the lack of funding and had received some positive response. The board set a tentative date of March 9, 7:30 a.m. at Liberty Middle School for the meeting."

"Finance Sub-Committee Report – Mr. Simmons acknowledged that the committee had another meeting with county commissioners on March 13 to continue dialogue on the funding from the county. One of the issues they are discussing is the lack of EC funding Burke County receives from the state. Mrs. Norman mentioned a conversation she had with someone who mentioned that the reason we have so many EC students is that the school system is doing a good job identifying students who need these services."

03-19-07 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Finance Sub-Committee Report – Mr. Simmons asked if board members had any items for consideration for next year's budget to submit them to Mr. Brackett or Mr. Burleson by the April meeting. He also acknowledged the board was not building the new high schools with tax money and the schools had nothing to do with the tax re-evaluations. The committee is continuing to meet with commissioners to map out a process for the local current expense budget for future boards. Mr. Buff acknowledged the board made the commissioners and the local state representatives aware of the issues with the bleachers at Hallyburton and that the school system was having to use local current expense money to make up for the lack of funding for all EC students." ******************************************************************

Allegation: "inappropriate use of child nutrition program funds to run the purchasing operations for the entire school system"

08-07-06 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Action/Discussion Items: Budget Amendments - Mr. Brackett presented Budget Amendment #20-

08-07-06 (To record state textbooks that must be reflected on the local general ledger).

Mr. Armour moved to approve the budget amendment, with a second from Mr. Brandon. The motion carried unanimously.Child Nutrition Budget for 2006-2007 – Mr. Brackett presented the Child Nutrition Budget for the upcoming school year. The $7,465,404 budget reflects legislative increases in salaries and some equipment that will be purchased for Patton High School. They will also be funding equipment in next year's budget for the new high school. They continue to monitor their fund balance closely so as not to accrue a large amount.

He noted there will be an increase in the meal charges for adults ~ breakfast will cost $1.25 and lunch $2.50. There will also be an increase in some a la carte items. There was no increase in student breakfast or lunch. Mr. Martinat asked how the price increase for a la carte items would compare to students buying another lunch at the regular price. He gave an example of buying the regular lunch for $1.65 and buying an extra hot dog with the increase at $1.35. Mr. Martinat asked if it would be better to increase the lunch prices rather than target the a la carte items. He acknowledged students may not be able to purchase a la carte items if the cost was too high. Mr. Brackett stated Child Nutrition has an obligation to offer a good meal at a good price; the a la carte items would be considered "extras". Mr. Martinat shared his concern that funds could be lost if the cost was too high for a la carte items.

Mr. Armour questioned the line item for "Indirect Costs". Mr. Brackett acknowledged this was money that child nutrition pays for utilities and use of the cafeteria areas at each school. The money goes back in the school system's general fund.

Mr. Buff asked if there were funds in the budget for students without lunch money. Mr. Brackett responded that there was not any money budgeted for this. Mr. Burleson added the school system received a small grant to help with this.

Mr. Martinat asked Mr. Brackett if the cafeterias had considered using vending machines for items that would be deemed appropriate for sale by child nutrition. Mr. Brackett stated this would not decrease labor costs significantly.

Mr. Simmons asked Mr. Brackett to track sales in the two groups where there were increases (adult prices and a la carte items) to see if there was a decrease in purchases. Mr. Brackett acknowledged he would look at data mid-year and report to the board.

Mr. Wilkinson moved to approve the Child Nutrition Budget for 2006-2007, with a second from Mr. Armour. The motion carried unanimously. *******************************************************************************

Allegations: "He has failed to provide timely information to the board and has withheld information from board members and the public at times. At times he shared information with individual board members that was not shared with other board members and would selectively share information with certain faculty, staff and community members."

09-01-06 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Mrs. Norman commented that she abstained from voting on these contracts because she had asked some specific questions about the contracts in June, and had still not received answers to her questions. She stated she could not vote until her questions were answered. She needed all the information before voting on the contracts."

09-18-06 BOE Meeting Minutes: "Mr. Simmons shared his concern about one of the board members at the last meeting not voting on Mr. Brackett's and Mr. Anderson's contracts because she acknowledged she did not get information she requested from Mr. Burleson in order to make an informed decision on the contracts. Mr. Martinat located Mrs. Norman's emails from Mr. Burleson in her inbox and was able to retrieve the information Mr. Burleson had sent her. She acknowledged she was not able to retrieve this information on her computer. Mr. Simmons stated he just wanted to be sure she got the information she had requested. Mr. Burleson commented he tries to be diligent in getting information to the board, when asked. This information was asked for and sent to all board members on June 29. Mr. Brackett stated, for the record, "No one asked me for any information." Mr. Brandon added that there wasn't a conspiracy with the board members; but if board members were having trouble retrieving information from their computers, they should contact Scott Smith for assistance."

Apparently Mr. Schwartz’ humiliation in court has clouded his judgment. Look for a statement (written by Schwartz) “detailing” the reasons for Mr. Burleson’s termination from the school system.

Look for allegations based on a blatant misunderstanding of the purpose and findings of a financial audit.

Look for allegations based on the tardiness of the filing of that audit – when the board majority itself was responsible for the tardiness of that audit.

Look for allegations based on failing to properly budget for the schools, and for failing to demand from county commissioners money from the consent judgments. (We saw this one coming in court – the Judge saw through it and wouldn’t allow testimony on this issue.)

Look for the infamous “East Burke Locker Room” incident. Look for various and sundry accusations of lying. Look for a statement about failing to provide complete information about that incident. (That would be the pot calling the kettle black, Mr. Schwartz .*)

Look for language describing the board’s continued public reference to Mr. Burleson’s past “misdeeds” as “taking the high road.”

Look for a closing paragraph extolling the excitement of hiring a new superintendent and moving forward to a "bright new beginning."

Look for the release of this statement to backfire on the board majority – just one of thousands of miscalculations this board majority has made since its tenure.



*Mr. Schwartz was reprimanded by the NC State Bar for failing to disclose his attorney/client relationship with a school system to students he was investigating and for failing to provide information to the local district attorney about details he learned through that investigation that would constitute felony assault on a student. http://www.ncbar.gov/discipline/actions.asp?page=2&keywords=Covington
By the way, you may want to look up the german definition for "schwartz" for some added pun.

Pyrrhic Victory

A Pyrrhic victory (pronounced /ˈpɪrɪk/) is a victory with devastating cost to the victor.
Wouldn’t you know that after spending long hours in court, I would have to leave court and go pick up my son from school and miss the judgment?

Anyhow – from what I understand, the judge took some things and gave the board others, resulting in a net gain (for now) for the Board of Education of ~ $50,000.00.

That is before the lawyers get paid.

So you want to know what I think?

I think it is outrageous. It is outrageous that Ms. Norman has the nerve to blame the public for the fact that our high schools were put on probation: “Who’s out there disrupting the board meetings? Who’s inciting the crowds? Who are out there (sic) making stands and making comments and accusations?” (On WSOC TV) Outrageous.

I think it is outrageous that she says: “We’ll see, we’ll see whether or not every member of the board . . . . is willing to work together” - the clear implication from the tone of her voice being that a couple of problematic board members (Sam and Buddy) may make this impossible. http://www.wsoctv.com/news/20682476/detail.html

If the board had listened to Sam and Buddy (or the public) in the first place, the schools would not have lost accreditation.

I continue to use the word “outrageous” because, at the moment, that word is the only word I can think of to avoid using the profane words in my mind.

There isn’t much in the SACS report that I haven’t covered on this blog in the last 6 months, or that my readers/commenters haven’t brought to attention. While that may feel a bit vindicating, it doesn’t solve the problem of a board majority defiant and in denial.

This is serious stuff. Between now and the election I am certain that more damage will be done. (By the board – not the public.)

But –

We cannot dwell on the anger.

We must elect people who have the temperament, tools and training to save our accreditation.

We must elect people who have been calling the board majority to task since the board majority chose the path to our school system’s destruction. We must not elect the board’s surrogates, or candidates who suddenly became visible (and visibly concerned? I haven’t seen that) in the first week of July (candidate filing date).

We must elect people who value students, respect teachers and school administrators and who recognize the rights of the public.

We must elect people who recognize the crucial relationship between our children’s futures, our county’s economic future and the accreditation of our high schools.

I humbly submit that those people are Sam, Buddy, Susan and I.

A Board to Emulate:

Wake Co. gives 1,600 teachers a small raise
BY T. KEUNG HUI AND RAY MARTINStaff Writers
Posted: Wednesday, Sep. 02, 2009

RALEIGH In the face of larger class sizes, layoffs and frozen salaries across the state, about 1,600 Wake County teachers will get a small pay raise this year.

State legislators froze salaries for teachers and state employees this year to help close a record multi-billion dollar budget shortfall. But with a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Wake school board agreed to spend local dollars to give educators who've recently completed five, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of teaching a raise of $200 to $350 this year.

It was a $420,000 decision that drew cheers from educators not expecting to get any extra money in their paychecks this year.

"It's nice to know that we have a board that's supporting teachers even in this tough time," said Jennifer Lanane, president of the Wake County chapter of the N.C. Association of Educators, which represents 5,000 Wake school employees. "... For 1,600 teachers, it's a nice surprise for them."

Read more at www.charlotte.com