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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">If you have been living under a rock
or gone from Durham for over a month, you might not be aware that there are
significant issues with the management of the Durham School system. Here is a
brief synopsis from the N&O:<span> </span><span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">“Budget problems in Durham Public
Schools have caused disruptions, including halted bus routes and school
closings as staff members call in sick to protest. The protests come as the
school district reported it had budgeted incorrectly and could not pay raises
for 1,300 classified staff members, including bus mechanics, cafeteria workers,
and physical therapists.”<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(Read more about the timeline at:
<a href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article284903827.html#storylink=cpy">https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/education/article284903827.html#storylink=cpy</a>)<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">A group of parents have asked that
there be a joint meeting of the School Board (BOE) and the County commissioners
(CC) about the situation. One of their concerns is about the threat of state
receivership because we aren't making decisions and commitments to ensure that doesn't happen. <span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The parents ask residents to write
to the BOE and CC and demand a joint meeting to address this emergency. Below
are the email addresses and the message they sent to those identified.<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:boe@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(0,1,255)">BOE@dpsnc.net</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:bettina_umstead@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">bettina_umstead@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:emilys_chavez@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">emilys_chavez@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:natalie_beyer@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">natalie_beyer@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:jessica_cardaauten@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">jessica_cardaauten@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:jovonia_lewis@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">jovonia_lewis@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:millicent_rogers@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">millicent_rogers@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><a href="mailto:alexandra_valladares@dpsnc.net" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">alexandra_valladares@dpsnc.net</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,51)">Durham County Board of
Commissioners</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(0,112,192)"><a href="mailto:commissioners@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(119,68,171)">commissioners@dconc.gov</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:rgb(119,68,171)"><a href="mailto:nallam@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(12,103,150);font-weight:normal">nallam@dconc.gov</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:nburns@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(12,103,150)">nburns@dconc.gov</span></a><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:hcarter@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(12,103,150)">hcarter@dconc.gov</span></a><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:bhowerton@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(12,103,150)">bhowerton@dconc.gov</span></a><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="mailto:wjacobs@dconc.gov" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(12,103,150)">wjacobs@dconc.gov</span></a><span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Here is a draft of the message. Tailoring
to your own concerns or wording is encouraged. <span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">As a community member I
demand that the Durham County Board of Education and Board of County
Commissioners hold an EMERGENCY joint meeting to address the classified
staffing pay error. </span></b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">This is a crisis moment
for our Durham community. Community members want staff to receive fair
wages and safe working conditions, just as much as we NEED our students
learning in class daily. The chaos of the last 3 weeks is unacceptable. </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Please set a meeting
time and location for the joint meeting so affected staff and community
members can come and make public comments. </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Please have the results
of the classified staff payment error investigation for BOE, BOCC, and the
public ready to share.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Specifically, we want
the following issues shared: a timeline of notified parties (focused on the
Superintendent, CFO, Chief of HR, and School Board Members), and a financial
plan (including funding request) from the school district to ensure all the impacted
classified staff are paid the salaries they were promised in October
2023. </span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Support the DPS
classified staff and support DPS students and end this dysfunction and chaos.</span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;font-size:11pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><span> </span></span></p>
<br clear="all"><br><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>Mimi Kessler</div><div>919-599-2892<br></div><div>"Democracy is not a spectator sport" - John Deen</div><div>Please vote every chance you get. </div><div><br></div></div></div></div>