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Public commenters press board to raise local teacher supplement and act on reparations and staff proposals
Summary
Speakers urged Asheville City Schools to advocate for a bigger local pay supplement and a move to a flat dollar amount, to implement community reparations recommendations in curriculum and discipline reform, and described staff meet‑and‑confer proposals on inclement weather and telework policies.
Three in‑person public commenters used the board’s public comment period to press the district on pay, reparations and labor proposals.
Soren Petersen told the board the local teacher pay supplement is overdue for a meaningful increase. Petersen said that, a decade ago, starting teachers in Asheville earned roughly $11,000 above a living wage, but that by the 2021–22 fiscal year the local living wage exceeded starting teacher pay. He said the local supplement has only increased about 2 percent in five years while local cost‑of‑living measures rose roughly 34 percent, and asked the board to (1) correct the lagging supplement and (2) convert the supplement from a percentage to a flat dollar amount so it tracks cost‑of‑living changes more directly.
Chris Gordon revisited recommendations from the community reparations commission and urged the board to adopt measures relevant to district practice: review curriculum for cultural relevance and mechanisms to repair harm, expand vocational opportunities, reduce suspensions through restorative alternatives and a suspension review board, create tracking for referrals, limit SRO interventions, increase access to mental health professionals and pursue a Black teacher recruitment and retention package (including housing supports).
Carson Bridges, a first‑grade teacher at Claxton and president of the Asheville City Association of Educators (ACAE), described the district’s first meet‑and‑confer session. He said ACAE brought proposals on inclement weather (a 5 a.m. public announcement time), double pay for non‑instructional classified staff who report during inclement weather, telework options for staff on optional teacher work days, and changes to the visitor policy. Bridges encouraged board members and the public to attend forthcoming community listening sessions and the next meet‑and‑confer on Nov. 12.
Board members thanked the speakers and acknowledged the district is continuing conversations with ACAE and community stakeholders. No formal board action was taken during public comment; the chair noted the board would consider public input as it develops budget and personnel recommendations for the county.
