Durham Public Schools librarians testified against proposed cuts to media coordinators at five high schools, warning the roughly $88,621 in savings would slash library hours by up to 30 days annually.
Librarians testified that cutting one media coordinator at each of five high schools would reduce library hours by up to 30 days annually and cost the district roughly $88,621, though CFO Jeremy Teter said the proposal is not finalized.
The board voted 4-3 to approve a meet and confer policy maintaining a 6% threshold for employee representative organizations, with board members Beyer, Carda-Auten, and Chávez opposing the lower limit that the Durham Association of Educators had challenged.
Classified staff face severe pay compression with speech therapists and physical therapists earning only about $8 more monthly after 30 years than new hires, and board member Bettina Umstead testified the district has not provided promised transparency on addressing the issue.