The Durham Public Schools board faced competing priorities over how to spend money at a March 26 meeting, as community members pushed back on a $2.8 million technology purchase while staff described unsustainable working conditions that are costing the district talent.
Parent Linda Neland urged the board to redirect $2.8 million planned for Chromebooks and interactive Bright Link boards toward teacher pay, bus drivers, and HVAC repairs. Neland cited research from cognitive neuroscientists showing that widespread device use actually hurts student outcomes in literacy, math, and attention spans—particularly for adolescents. The proposal would finance over 17,000 Chromebooks and nearly 1,800 Bright Links. CFO Jeremy Teter defended the investment partly as cheaper than managing thousands of out-of-warranty devices, noting repair costs exceed $500,000 annually. Board members questioned whether all devices were truly necessary now, but the board unanimously approved Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis's $25.7 million budget request that includes the technology spending anyway.
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