Highlights about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Durham County Board of Commissioners affirms support for Pride and hears LGBTQ+ leaders call for apology, restored funding, and deeper partnership, even as the board confronts gun violence, school staffing crises, and a hard-fought tax increase to balance a billion-dollar budget. Commissioners debate raises for school and county workers, weigh residents’ concerns about affordability, highlight key investments in EMS, family drug treatment court, and early childhood, and look ahead to potential city–county merger talks.

The Durham City Council weighs a controversial $17 million police technology contract, approves incentives for the Coco Fro redevelopment in East Durham, and hears sharp public testimony on limited free parking, Vision Zero, eviction diversion, contaminated parks, worker pay, and immigration legal services as it crafts a tight new budget.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners hears a resident’s warning about Black families being left out of budget decisions, gets a plain‑language breakdown of proposed property tax levy limits, and debates a $100,000 commitment to long‑term supportive housing at Weaver’s Grove before approving it on a 4–3 vote amid concerns over affordability timelines and accountability.

The Durham Public Schools Board of Education hears emotional testimony from Burton Elementary students, staff, and families urging continued visa sponsorship for international teachers, alongside concerns about missed McKinney-Vento transportation and special education protections. Board members then grapple with restraint and seclusion rules, child abuse reporting, and a major overhaul of the student code of conduct—aimed at reducing suspensions, strengthening restorative practices, and protecting students with disabilities—while also weighing OT staffing gaps, student mental health, and a proposal to use part of the Durham School of the Arts site for affordable housing.