The Durham Public Schools board unanimously opposed North Carolina House Bill 187, legislation that would prevent teaching about systemic racism, slavery, Jim Crow laws, and gender discrimination in schools. The board passed a comprehensive resolution citing specific historical events like the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery and the 19th Amendment's voting restrictions as examples of essential U.S. history that educators would be prohibited from teaching under the bill. The resolution called on the NC General Assembly to reject the legislation and instead focus resources on developing a robust public education budget with equity tools.
The board also unanimously approved a $1,500 retention bonus for all employees on payroll by August 31, 2023, totaling approximately $7.5 million and drawn from remaining federal ESSER emergency relief funds. The bonuses must be distributed by mid-September because the federal funds expire September 30. Board members cautioned staff not to expect ongoing federal bonuses and stressed that educator compensation should be the state's responsibility rather than dependent on temporary federal assistance. Natalie Beyer emphasized that North Carolina's state government needs to increase teacher pay.
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