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Teachers and parents decry midyear arts stipend cuts and capped master's pay; district says calculation error led to revisions
Summary
Dozens of parents, arts teachers and band boosters told the Chatham County Board of Education that midyear stipend reductions and a cap on a locally funded master's-pay program have left educators unable to afford basic expenses. District leaders acknowledged a calculation error, described a program recalibration and said the budget shortfall drove the changes.
Public commenters at the Nov. 3 Chatham County Board of Education meeting pressed the district to restore midyear cuts to arts stipends and to honor promises of locally funded master's pay, saying the reductions threaten teacher retention and student programs.
"I'm here as an advocate and in good faith to repair what many of us seem to think is a broken relationship between our senior leaders and our arts educators," said Dr. Zach Wills, an arts educator who urged "a transparent accounting of our financial situation" after stipend changes were implemented midyear.
Parents and teachers described the effects in personal terms. Michelle Steck, a parent and Northwood Band Boosters vice president, said band parents now cover essentials and that the district's own event showcased arts even as funding for them was cut. "A child and their family shouldn't have to beg for money for basic needs to enable the child to participate," she said. Noel Emehl, band director at Northwood High School, said the revised stipend left him earning roughly "$2 an hour" for extra marching-band time. "That was the final reason that made me accept this position," Emehl said, describing an $8,000 salary differential tied to the stipend he expected.
Several teachers likewise said they completed master's degrees in the…
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