The Demise of Leandro Raises More Concerns About Durham School Funding

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Bettina Umstead, chair of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education, on Friday issued a statement on behalf of the district about the N.C. Supreme Court's decision to vacate Leandro, the case that gave schools a lever to use the courts to pressure legislators to properly fund education in North Carolina.

Umstead called the ruling "disappointing" and warned that it would inflict "irreparable harm to our public schools."

"Durham families feel this when HVAC systems stop working, when educators advocate for increased salaries that are not keeping up with inflation, and when we stretch the budget to provide the arts, global languages, and additional supports our students need," she wrote.

The Leandro Plan, if funded, could have provided about $70 million to DPS for instructional assistants, counselors, social workers, and more. It would've meant about $36 million for early childhood education, opening 710 more slots for children in pre-K.

"Any person connected to public schools can tell you about how great the need for increased funding for public schools. The state has not met their constitutional duty and it falls on local school districts to fill in the gaps," Umstead wrote. "The impact of the lack of state funding for public education is already felt as school districts navigate tough budget seasons with discussions of personnel cuts and school closures. This news is disheartening and impacts every community in North Carolina. Durham’s children deserve a fully funded public education system. North Carolina’s children deserve a fully funded public education system. Our children deserve so much better."

What are your thoughts on the Leandro decision and its impact on Durham schools? Reply to this email and let me know.

Wes Platt Neighborhood News Guy

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