mmilliken@heraldsun.com; 419-6684
DURHAM -- Durham school board members got to hear irate constituents complain about matters old and new Thursday evening.
Ten residents rose to criticize district the implementation of a new reading curriculum and matters concerning the district suspension and expulsion policy.
As occurred last month, the elementary-level Reading Street curriculum was criticized by parents who say it is too inflexible and was installed without properly soliciting teacher, community and expert input.
The parents gave the district marginal credit for somewhat relaxing curriculum standards but said major changes -- or at least a wide community discussion -- are still needed.
Critics believe the program crowds out time for teaching other topics and does not grant teachers enough flexibility to tailor lessons to different material, teaching styles or students.
"Scripted curriculum has hit Durham, and Durham's beloved diversity is dying in its wake," said Kelli Dugan, one of two parents of Club Boulevard Magnet Elementary students who said the school's humanities curriculum was being undermined by Reading Street.
"I urge you to get rid of the mandate of the scripted curriculum of Reading Street and do right by the kids," said Maggie Chotas, another Club Boulevard parent.
The parents did not get a public response on the matter until the very end of the meeting, when board member Fredrick Davis asked for clarification on that point. Superintendent Carl Harris said that the administration has offered to schedule a meeting with the irate parents. At least one similar meeting has already taken place.
Davis then noted that curriculum selection and implementation is within administrators' discretion.
The other matter that provoked emotional comment Thursday was a set of proposed revisions to the suspension and expulsion policy -- changes that won't be voted on until next month.
But what seemed to be animating the comments wasn't so much the changes at hand but memories of contentious previous battles over the policy.
"It took four years for this board, some of whom still are here, to understand that that policy was not working for the children of Durham Public Schools," said Jackie Wagstaff, who served a sometimes-controversial term on the school board from 2002-06, referring to the policy change.
Wagstaff ended her comments by saying, "I'm glad this policy is being revised, but it's just impossible to believe that it took this time."
Karen Alexander said suspensions are always wrong and urged implementing Saturday detention instead. Alexander, whose school-age son was evidently arrested Thursday, also complained about incomplete court testimony by district personnel.
Steven Matherly, an unsuccessful 2006 candidate for the board, angrily accused sitting members of laughing about Alexander's son and said that he was still awaiting an apology from the board after he was arrested at a 2005 meeting.
"Y'all have no shame -- no shame whatsoever," Matherly said.
Current board member Kirsten Kainz, who was elected in 2006, suggested that Matherly be wary of slander. Kainz noted that an incident in which children of her and fellow school board member Heidi Carter were suspended occurred in 2004.
Matherly had suggested those suspensions were why the policy is being changed. But board members said that is being done to comply with various laws and to address concerns raised by community members. Chairwoman Minnie Forte-Brown said the changes have been in the works for two years.
