In a Zoom interview, the Spy’s P. Ryan Anthony talks with Dorchester County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson to get an update on the district’s serious budget shortfall and its potential impacts.
With a $5.5 million deficit as of late March, the district is negotiating with its staff unions to address unmet funding promises, including a proposed $3.5 million in raises. If those raises are deferred, the gap narrows, but an estimated 12 to 24 staff positions may still be eliminated.
There is a discussion of how early retirements and attrition are being used to reduce costs, and what will be determined at the next budget meeting. The conversation also turns to the effect these cuts may have on staff morale and the school system’s long-term academic goals, particularly its aim to raise its statewide ranking from 23rd to 15th.
On a more uplifting note, you’ll hear how the Cambridge-South Dorchester Vikings’ state basketball championship has offered the community a much-needed morale boost. Finally, they discuss the recent adoption of Freedom on My Mind, an AP African American history textbook, and its significance in offering students broader, more inclusive educational perspectives.
The video is approximately 8 minutes long.
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