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Durham Public Schools elections (2014)

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2014 Durham Public Schools Elections
General Election date:
May 6, 2014
Table of Contents
About the district
Method of election
Elections
What was at stake?
Key deadlines
Additional elections
External links
See also
North Carolina
Durham Public Schools
Durham County, North Carolina ballot measures
Local ballot measures, North Carolina
Flag of North Carolina.png

Four seats on the Durham Public Schools school board were up for general election on May 6, 2014. Mike Lee defeated incumbent Omega Parker and Thomas Poole for the District 1 seat. Sendolo Diaminah defeated fellow newcomers Jimmy Doster, Donald A. Hughes, DeWarren K. Langley and Terrence R. Scarborough for the District 2 seat. Matthew Sears won the District 3 seat against Steven Gatlin, Lisa Gordon Stella and Deborah Bryson. Incumbent Natalie Beyer was unopposed for re-election to the District 4 seat.

The school board election coincided with a number of ongoing issues in the district. In March 2014, the school district entered a lawsuit with the Wake County school board against a state law that eliminates teacher tenure.[1] The district is also still dealing with the resignation of its controversial superintendent, Eric Becoats, and some public concern over the county's influx of charter schools.[2][3][4]

About the district

See also: Durham Public Schools, North Carolina
Durham Public Schools is located in Durham County, North Carolina

Durham Public Schools is located in Durham County, North Carolina. Durham County is home to 279,641 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[5] Durham Public Schools was the seventh-largest school district in North Carolina, serving 32,478 students during the 2010-2011 school year.[6]

Academic performance

Academic performance for Durham Public Schools is available via Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reports. During the 2010-2011 school year, eight out of 54 schools in the Durham school district met the AYP in North Carolina.[7] The district's SAT and ACT average scores were lower than the state averages in 2012.[8][9]

Budget

Durham Public Schools' total budget for the 2013-2014 school year was $407.7 million. The district spent 66 percent of its budget on staff expenses, 19.8 percent on operational expenses, 14 percent on student services and 0.1 percent on miscellaneous expenses.[10]

Demographics

Durham County outperformed the rest of North Carolina in terms of higher education achievement in 2012. The United States Census Bureau found that 44.7 percent of Durham County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 26.8 percent for North Carolina as a whole. The median household income in Durham County was $50,997 compared to $46,450 for the state of North Carolina. The poverty rate in Durham County was 18.0 percent compared to 16.8 percent for the entire state.[5]

Racial Demographics, 2012[5]
Race Durham County (%) North Carolina (%)
White 53.0 71.9
Black or African American 38.8 22.0
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.0 1.5
Asian 4.9 2.5
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1 0.1
Two or More Races 2.3 2.0
Hispanic or Latino 13.4 8.7

Party Affiliation, 2013[11]
Party Registered Voters % of Total
Democratic 118,059 58.8
Republican 27,874 13.9
Libertarian 685 0.3
Unaffiliated 54,240 27.0

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Voter and candidate information

The Durham school board consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Six board members are elected by different geographical districts and one member is elected at-large. There was no primary election and the general election was held on May 6, 2014. In North Carolina, a runoff is not required in any case unless the second highest vote getter calls for one. A runoff, or second primary, would have been held seven weeks after the election.[12] Four seats were on the ballot in 2014 and three seats are on the ballot in 2016.[13]

Candidates began to file affidavits of candidacy on February 10, 2014. The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was February 28, 2014.[14]

Elections

2014

Candidates

District 1

District 2

District 3

  • Steven Gatlin
    • Graduate, the University of Mississippi
    • Teacher, Voyager High School
  • Matthew SearsGreen check mark transparent.png
    • Graduate, Purdue University and UNC-Chapel Hill
    • Former teacher
  • Lisa Gordon Stella
    • Graduate, The University of Minnesota Law School
    • Truancy Court Program Director
  • Deborah Bryson
    • Founder, Bryson Christian Montessori School

District 4

Election results

Durham Public Schools, District 1 General Election, 4-year term, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngMike Lee 60% 3,433
     Nonpartisan Omega Parker Incumbent 31.9% 1,827
     Nonpartisan Thomas Poole 7% 398
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 1.1% 64
Total Votes 5,722
Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "05/06/2014 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - DURHAM," accessed June 2, 2014


Durham Public Schools, District 2 General Election, 4-year term, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngSendolo Diaminah 44.3% 2,936
     Nonpartisan Donald A. Hughes 28.3% 1,874
     Nonpartisan Jimmy Doster 13.7% 910
     Nonpartisan Terrence R. Scarborough 8.9% 588
     Nonpartisan DeWarren K. Langley 4% 266
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.7% 49
Total Votes 6,623
Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "05/06/2014 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - DURHAM," accessed June 2, 2014


Durham Public Schools, District 3 General Election, 4-year term, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngMatthew Sears 58.6% 5,034
     Nonpartisan Deborah Bryson 21.4% 1,837
     Nonpartisan Lisa Gordon Stella 15.3% 1,313
     Nonpartisan Steven Gatlin 4.1% 356
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.6% 48
Total Votes 8,588
Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "05/06/2014 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - DURHAM," accessed June 2, 2014


Durham Public Schools, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngNatalie Beyer Incumbent 95.8% 6,444
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 4.2% 280
Total Votes 6,724
Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "05/06/2014 UNOFFICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS - DURHAM," accessed June 2, 2014

Endorsements

The Durham People’s Alliance endorsed Mike Lee, Sendolo Diaminah, Matthew Sears and Natalie Beyer in the May election.[15] The Durham Association of Educators endorsed Omega Parker, Sendolo Diaminah, Matthew Sears and Natalie Beyer.[16] The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People issued endorsements for Mike Lee, Donald A. Hughes, Deborah Bryson and Natalie Beyer.[17] The Friends of Durham community organization endorsed Mike Lee, Terrence R. Scarborough, Lisa Gordon Stella and Natalie Beyer.[18] INDY Week endorsed Mike Lee, Sendolo Diaminah and Matthew Sears.[19]

Campaign finance

Candidates received a total of $48,567.80 and spent a total of $32,049.40 during the election, according to the Durham County Board of Elections.[20]

In the District 1 race, Omega Parker received a total of $1,155.64 and did not report any expenditures.[20]

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Omega Parker $1,155.64 $0.00 $1,155.64
Mike Lee $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Thomas Poole $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

In the District 2 race, candidates received a total of $35,083.16 and spent a total of $22,996.58.[20]

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Sendolo Diaminah $9,484.28 $4,375.43 $4,108.43
Jimmy Doster $17,015.73 $12,465.57 $4,550.16
Donald A. Hughes $4,000.00 $2,762.46 $1,237.54
DeWarren K. Langley $1,887.00 $1,177.97 $709.03
Terrence R. Scarborough $2,696.15 $2,215.15 $581.00

In the District 3 race, candidates received a total of $12,329.00 and spent a total of $9,052.82.[20]

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Steven Gatlin $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Matthew Sears $6,641.09 $5,285.38 $1,355.71
Lisa Gordon Stella $4,182.91 $2,584.94 $1,697.97
Deborah Bryson $1,505.00 $1,182.50 $177.50

In the District 4 race, Natalie Beyer did not file a campaign finance report with the Durham County Board of Elections.[20]

Past elections

What was at stake?

Four seats on the Durham school board were at stake in the May election. Incumbents Omega Parker and Natalie Beyer sought re-election to their respective seats.

Issues in the district

Teacher tenure

In March 2014, the Durham school board voted unanimously to join a lawsuit challenging the state law ending teacher tenure. The law awards four-year contracts with annual $500 raises to the top 25 percent of teachers in their district. The teachers would have to voluntarily give up their tenure, before tenure ends for all teachers in 2018. The law was intended to promote competition and remove teachers with low student test scores. Under this law, the superintendent will recommend 25 percent of teachers in the district to the school board for four-year contracts beginning in the 2014-2015 school year. The Durham school board joins the Wake County school board as the second board planning to sue the state over this legislation.[21]

Charter schools

Durham County's influx of charter schools has raised concerns for some of the county's residents. The county is home to ten charter schools and will be adding another in August 2014. Six more Durham-based charters have applications pending with the state to open in 2015. Critics fear that the new charters will take students and funding away from traditional public schools. They also believe that charter schools educate a disproportionate number of middle-class children and lead to a concentration of poor and minority students in the district schools. Supporters have responded by emphasizing overall improvement in education quality in the district's charter schools.[22][23]

Superintendent resignation

In December 2013, Eric Becoats resigned as superintendent after receiving criticism for a number of issues throughout the year. In June 2013, school board chairwoman Heidi Carter reached out to the county commissioners because the school board thought it had only $4 million in unassigned funds, far less than the typical $16 million the board has normally kept in order to offset state budget cuts. In December 2013, an audit revealed the district had $15 million more in unassigned funds than the board originally reported. Becoats, who provided the board with the initial financial documents, could not explain how the mistake was made.

In October 2013, records also revealed that Becoats spent $20,157.86 on his district-issued credit card from July 2012 to June 2013 for out-of-state conferences, dinners and lunches with colleagues, economy-class air travel, hotels, room service, limousines from the airport, meetings, workshop supplies, flowers for recognition of employee achievements and gifts to a host family in Mexico. Becoats’ credit card was one of four district-issued cards. There had been no official policy outlining the use of the cards, but the board canceled his card in October 2013. In November 2013, they also decided to discontinue the other cards and tighten rules on travel reimbursement and spending. Becoats was also criticized in July 2013 for hiring a school activity bus and driver to take friends and family members to private events. He reimbursed the school system $726.80 and was reprimanded, but the contents of his reprimand were not released to the public.[24]

Key deadlines

The following dates were key deadlines for the Durham Public Schools election in 2014:[25]

Deadline Event
February 10, 2014 First day to file affidavits of candidacy
February 28, 2014 Last day to file affidavits of candidacy
March 17, 2014 First day to request an absentee ballot
April 11, 2014 Last day to register to vote
April 24, 2014 Early voting begins
April 29, 2014 Last day to request an absentee ballot
May 3, 2014 Early voting ends
May 6, 2014 Election day

Additional elections on the ballot

In addition to the school board election, residents of Durham County voted in a U.S. Senate primary election, a U.S. House of Representative primary election, State Senate and House primary elections, a Durham County Sheriff primary election, a District Attorney primary election, a Supreme Court Chief Justice primary election, a Supreme Court Associate Justice primary election, a Court of Appeals Judge primary election and a District Court Judge primary election.[26]

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term "Durham + Public + Schools + North + Carolina"

Durham Public Schools News Feed

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Jonathan M. Alexander, News Observer, "Durham school board votes to join Guilford County lawsuit in teacher-tenure fight," March 5, 2014
  2. ↑ Jonathan M. Alexander, News Observer, "Durham schools chief Becoats resigns amid criticism," December 19, 2013
  3. ↑ Ned Barnett, News Observer, "Charter schools press Durham’s district schools," February 1, 2014
  4. ↑ Jenna Zhang, The Chronicle, "Charter schools on rise in NC," February 6, 2014
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 United States Census Bureau, "Durham County, North Carolina," accessed February 21, 2014
  6. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed February 18, 2014
  7. ↑ Public Schools of North Carolina, "Adequate Yearly Progress," accessed March 26, 2014
  8. ↑ Public Schools of North Carolina, "THE NORTH CAROLINA 2012 SAT REPORT," accessed March 26, 2014
  9. ↑ Public Schools of North Carolina, "ACT Results," accessed March 26, 2014
  10. ↑ Durham Public Schools, "FY 2013-2014 Budget Page," accessed December 3, 2013
  11. ↑ Durham County, "Voter Registration by County," accessed February 21, 2014
  12. ↑ National Conference of State Legislature, "Primary Runoffs," accessed May 15, 2014
  13. ↑ Durham Public Schools, "Board of Education," accessed February 21, 2014
  14. ↑ Durham County, "Board of Elections," accessed February 21, 2014
  15. ↑ The Herdald-Sun, "People’s Alliance releases Durham endorsement slate," April 4, 2014
  16. ↑ The Herald-Sun, "Durham educators issue endorsements," April 7, 2014
  17. ↑ The Herald-Sun, "Durham committee offers candidate endorsements," April 5, 2014
  18. ↑ The Herald-Sun, "Friends release political endorsements," April 2, 2014
  19. ↑ INDY Week, "Durham school board: We recommend a clean start this election," April 23, 2014
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Durham County Board of Elections, "2014 Organizational Disclosure Reports," accessed May 6, 2014
  21. ↑ Jonathan M. Alexander, News Observer, "Durham school board votes to join Guilford County lawsuit in teacher-tenure fight," March 5, 2014
  22. ↑ Ned Barnett, News Observer, "Charter schools press Durham’s district schools," February 1, 2014
  23. ↑ Jenna Zhang, The Chronicle, "Charter schools on rise in NC," February 6, 2014
  24. ↑ Jonathan M. Alexander, News Observer, "Durham schools chief Becoats resigns amid criticism," December 19, 2013
  25. ↑ Durham County Board of Elections, "2014 Election Calendar," accessed February 24, 2014
  26. ↑ Durham County Board of Elections, "2014 Contests and Filing Fees," accessed February 24, 2014
2014 Durham Public Schools Elections
Durham County, North Carolina
Election date:May 6, 2014
Candidates:District 1: • Incumbent, Omega Parker • Mike Lee • Thomas Poole

District 2: • Sendolo Diaminah • Jimmy Doster • Donald A. Hughes • DeWarren K. Langley • Terrence R. Scarborough
District 3: • Steven Gatlin • Matthew Sears • Lisa Gordon Stella • Deborah Bryson

District 4: • Incumbent, Natalie Beyer
Important information:What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot
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