Durham Public Schools opened its March 23 meeting with a moment of profound grief. Superintendent Dr. Mubinga announced that two district students were killed and another injured in a shooting Tuesday night near Riverside school. Board members called for urgent, coordinated action to address gun violence across the community, but the response drew sharp criticism from parents who said the district needed to move beyond statements. One parent, a trauma specialist, urged board members to visit schools in person to speak directly with grieving students rather than simply address the board. The shooting also triggered two emergency lockdowns at Brogden Middle School within four days, and a Brogden parent who is a psychotherapist said the chaotic police response—with officers yelling at children, helicopters circling classrooms, and mixed messages about threats—actually re-traumatized students already processing grief. The board debated whether to declare a district-wide day of mourning before another tragedy occurs. New board member Jessica Carter Alton was sworn in to fill a vacant seat on the all-female board.
The budget conversation that followed was dominated by an emotional call for help from classified staff. Nearly a dozen instructional assistants, bus drivers, and librarians testified about the impossible choice between eating lunch and feeding their children, working second full-time jobs after 2:45 p.m., and surviving on $15 to $16 an hour while facing physical assault on the job with no overtime pay. Union president Sunny Geraldo described an instructional assistant so underpaid that students bring her lunch from the cafeteria. Board members heard how Chapel Hill and Wake County already offer differential pay for exceptional children instructional assistants and master's degree bonuses that Durham does not. CFO Paul Lesour presented a proposed $734 million budget requesting $10.8 million in additional county funding, with $4.1 million earmarked for a classified salary study and 4.25 percent raises for certified staff. However, board member Natalie Beyer pressed Lesour on whether that was enough, and Emily Chávez raised concerns about whether the salary study would actually address EC assistant differential pay. The budget also faces pressure from declining enrollment, rising retirement costs, and federal COVID relief funds drying up in September 2024, which will zero out dozens of positions unless the county steps in. The board voted unanimously to submit the proposed budget to County Commissioners by May 15, with a public hearing scheduled for April 6 and final approval expected in April once the state budget becomes clearer.
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