DPS school board votes to let classified staff keep money received in 2023

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds of workers with Durham Public Schools held a rally Thursday ahead of the school board meeting.

The rally comes as the district has been dealing with a payment dispute, leading workers to walk off the job.

This dispute began after what the district described as an accidental overpayment to their staff late last year.

Earlier this week the chairwoman of the board apologized and promised employees would be able to keep the extra pay they received in 2023 as well as the higher rate for this first month of the year.

"We are the foundation of education," Quinton Headen said.

The foundation includes Headen, an instructional assistant at Riverside High School.

"How you treated your staff now, is how it's being treated to your DPS students," he said.

Quinton is one of dozens of classified staff to go before the Durham School Board Thursday night, while others waited in the hallways or outside to listen.

"There is no equity, your core belief of equity has been ruined, our trust has been ruined," said physical therapist Barbara Tapper.

A policy or payroll error meant dozens of classified staff like Tapper and Headen got paid too much in the second half of 2023.

People in the room believed it wasn't an error but the money promised to them in raises.

The board voted unanimously to move funds from a rainy day fund to ensure those people keep the money they were paid in the second half of 2023 and the first month of this year.

"We also know that to rebuild trust we have to show what we're going to do and not just talk about it," said Board Chair Bettina Umstead who attempted to calm the crowd throughout the meeting.

The same crowd also rallied outside before the meeting through the rain.

"It shows the wealth of employees...impacted by all these decisions it's a lot of people," Greg Stivland said.

Stivland, who is an occupational therapist said he doesn't believe it's enough. He said his 30 years of experience have been devalued

"I'm making the same amount of money I was last year with a 4% pay increase. Still means my salary is not competitive with neighboring counties," Stivland said.

Also earlier this week parents met for a closed-door PTA meeting at Jordan High School to share on-call volunteer's phone numbers in case anything comes in regarding frustrated workers.