Internal emails show confusion, frustration among Durham school board members leading up to pay crisis

Emails obtained by WRAL Investigates show confusion and frustration among Durham school board members, even before the public outcry regarding the school system’s months-long pay crisis. WRAL Investigates got access to the 400 pages of emails through a public records request.

WRAL Investigates has reported that, even when the board gave the ok on Oct. 12 to the pay plan that would later spur employee protests and school closures, they were confused about its specifics. These new emails show just how deep that confusion was.

In an email from board member Jovonia Lewis the morning of the meeting, she wrote to Chief Financial Officer Paul LeSieur and Superintendent Pascal Mubenga.

“I did not see what the total cost of this adoption would be for the district and where would those funds come from?” she asked, seeking clarity.

Another board member, Millicent Rogers, wrote to LeSieur and Mubenga in December 2023 with more long-standing concerns about performance, claiming the board often does not have enough information from LeSieur to make informed decisions.

“I have asked many times for Mr. LeSieur to present his agenda items during the operations agenda review meetings, we make time to review these items in advance so that we are well-prepared to take action when the time comes,” Rogers wrote. “Mr. LeSieur has not met the standard of providing his department’s items for action in advance of the agenda review meeting …

“l am disappointed that it seems to be acceptable for finance documents to continue to be submitted to the board for review with such delay-this doesn’t appear to be the case with any other items presented to the board. To be clear, if there were desired changes to any of the financial documents, the board isn’t being offered enough time to review and offer feedback.”

Although the pay issue — in which more than 1,000 DPS employees were told the district could not afford the raises they had been receiving for months — became public knowledge in January, subsequent reviews sought by the school system showed that the CFO and superintendent were aware of the math error since at least early November.

In emails from late December obtained through WRAL Investigates’ records request, LeSieur and the consultant group hired to provide the pay plan, HIL Consultants, were trying to troubleshoot.

A consultant explains that DPS improperly implemented HIL’s recommendations, leading to the budget shortfall.

“This is contrary to what HIL recommended in our report and what was presented to the Board,” a HIL consultant wrote.

She explained that led to some employees being paid thousands of dollars more than what was recommended.

Emails from early January show LeSieur sought information from HIL on how federal ESSER funds could be appropriated within the district. It’s unclear if district leaders were exploring this as an option to address the salary issues.

LeSieur and Mubenga resigned amid the controversy. A spokesperson for DPS told WRAL Invesitgates that LeSieur received no severance payment, while WRAL News reported Mubenga received $297,759.

In late February, the school board approved a new pay plan for employees that is within budget.