Durham candidates promise to prioritize education funding
By Mia Khatib
DURHAM — District 1 Partners Against Crime hosted a candidate forum for Durham school board candidates at Holton Career & Resource Center Thursday. Candidate priorities include public education, affordable housing, health care, transit and economic development.
In attendance were Durham County commissioner candidate’s Brenda Howerton, Nimasheena Burns, Nida Allam, Wendy Jacobs, Michelle Burton Jovonia Lewis and Fredrick Davis. School board candidates were Jessica Carda-Auten and Millicent Rogers.
Twelve Durham Public Schools were closed Jan. 31 when the Durham Association of Educators held a staff “sick out.” and Resident Jackie Wagstaff asked how the candidates plan to clean up the DPS pay issue. “Parents that have low means and have to go to these low-wage jobs can’t afford to stay out and take care of their children,” she said.
Rogers said they can’t comment on ongoing investigations, but all candidates spoke of the importance of paying classified staff a livable wage and faulted the state for underfunding public education.