Durham Public Schools


The Durham Public Schools district is a public school district in Durham, North Carolina. Formed in 1992 with the merger of Durham's previous two school districts, it is 8th largest school system in North Carolina as of November 2020. There are 57 public schools in the system, consisting of 32 elementary, 9 middle, 2 secondary, 11 high, 1 alternative, 1 hospital school, and 1 virtual academy. Durham's schools are traditionally named after notable members of the local community.

Formation

In 1927, Hope Valley School was built for grades 1 through 11. It was the first public school in Southwestern Durham. Changes to the Hope Valley School facility were made in 1941 and 1952. the school was subsequently downgraded to an elementary school with the opening of Southern High School in the fall of 1956. In 1964, Jordan High School on Garrett Road was constructed.

Integration history

Prior to integration, white students attended Durham High School and black students attended Hillside High School.
In 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at Hillside High School, which was one of the Southeast's highest-ranked black high schools.
In 1957, the parents of Joycelyn McKissick and Elaine Richardson sued for their daughters to be reassigned to Durham High School of the Durham City School System.
In 1958, Rencher N. Harris became the first black member of Durham City Board of Education.
In 1959, the Durham City School Board allowed reassignment of eight black pupils to previously all-white schools. The first black students to integrate were Anita Brame and Lucy Jones at Brogden Junior High. In 1959, Joycelyn McKissick became the first African American student at Durham High School.
In September 1963, Charmaine McKissick among eight other minority youths were the first to desegregate into the Durham Public School system at the Elementary level. Along with her Floyd McKissick Jr, they entered into the North Durham Elementary School. Charmaine McKissick was the youngest to participate in the desegregation. She recalls, "My family prepared us all, every day, with the armor to return the next. " Not many students are willing to talk about their experiences. McKissick-Melton also states, "It is too painful." She goes onto write, "There are a few exceptions such as my good friend Janice Guess, whom I encouraged to write her story, and she did in, 'Little Black Girls Want Pearls Too.'" The integration was a harsh burden for a lot of those children and families involved. McKissick also writes, "The hurt is so deep from the wounds of more than fifty years ago that they still feel the pain."
McKissick-Melton also write, "We had some difficult times but nothing compared to the older students, including my sisters before me. I had it easier because the kids had not had enough time to learn and display their hatred, racist and their bigoted behavior." Charmaine McKissick-Melton, Ph.D., has since then decided to give back to the Durham Community as an associate professor in the Department of Mass Communication at North Carolina Central University. She is also the daughter of the late Evelyn and Floyd McKissick, Jude Floyd B. McKissick Sr.
In 1968, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People sued the Durham County School System in order to integrate its schools. The Durham County School Board's integration plan was accepted by the Federal District Court in Greensboro. The plan stated that all high schools and junior high schools would be integrated in the fall of 1969. The Federal District Judge gave an extra year for elementary schools due to space limitations and the need to purchase mobile units.
Durham County School System's principals had all been hired during legal segregation, so there was much discussion in the community about how successful integration would be in Durham County. One problem that existed was at Southern High School whose principal was Sidney Ray. Southern High School's mascot was the Rebel, and the high school used the confederate flag, and that the community thought that part of town was the redneck part of town. The mascot was later changed to the Spartan. There was less concern about Jordan High School because it had been attended by more affluent families of all colors. At Northern High School, there was a mix. The school had one of the toughest principals in the district.
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court in Alexander vs. Holmes County Board of Education reversed the decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, ruling that continued operation of segregated schools in Mississippi was no longer permissible. The NAACP filed suit in the Court of Appeals in Richmond saying, based on Alexander-Holmes Decision, they wanted all of Durham's elementary schools integrated. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to hear the case in December. The judge stated that Durham County and City Schools had been given 15 years to accomplish integration and had failed. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled integration would happen immediately.
In the fall of 1969, all three high schools and junior high schools were integrated as ordered. Durham City Schools' high schools were Durham High School and Hillside High School, which were at this time were still the largest public schools in both the city and county of Durham.
In 1970, Durham County elementary schools were fully integrated. Durham City schools began to decline after integration. Middle- and upper-class began emigrating out of the Durham City School System to the Durham County School System. The Durham City School System became populated with poorer people. Hillside High School, almost entirely black, maintained a good number of middle-class blacks. Due to immense migration, blacks began to control the Durham City School System and elected a majority black school board and a black superintendent.
A merger attempt of the Durham City School System and the Durham County School System was made in 1972. There were several more attempt that failed to gain support. Finally, in 1992 an agreement was reached. During the merger, the Durham County School System's junior high and senior high format was abolished and the Durham City School System's format of middle schools and high schools was implemented.
In 1992, the Durham County School System and the Durham City School System merged to form Durham Public Schools.

2024-2025 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Millicent Rogers, Chair Term expires in July 2028
  • Jessica Carda-Auten, Vice Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2028
  • Bettina Umstead, - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Natalie Beyer, - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Emily Chávez, - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Joy Harrell Goff, - Term expires on July 1, 2028
  • Wendell Tabb, - Term expires on July 1, 2028

    2023-2024 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Bettina Umstead, Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Jovonia Lewis, Vice Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2024
  • Natalie Beyer - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Emily Chávez * - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Millicent Rogers * - Term expires July 1, 2024
  • Jessica Carda-Auten - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Alexandra Valladares - Term expires on July 1, 2024

    2023-2024 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Bettina Umstead, Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Jovonia Lewis, Vice Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2024
  • Natalie Beyer - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Emily Chávez * - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Millicent Rogers * - Term expires July 1, 2024
  • Jessica Carda-Auten - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Alexandra Valladares - Term expires on July 1, 2024
* DPS Board of Education District 3 Candidate Selection - March 16, 2023

  • 2022-2023 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Bettina Umstead, Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Jovonia Lewis, Vice Chair - Term expires on July 1, 2024
  • Natalie Beyer - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Emily Chávez * - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Millicent Rogers * - Term expires July 1, 2024
  • Matt Sears - Term expires on July 1, 2026
  • Alexandra Valladares - Term expires on July 1, 2024
* swearing-in ceremony on July 8, 2022

  • 2021-2022 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Bettina Umstead, Chair
  • Jovonia Lewis, Vice Chair
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Mike Lee
  • Frederick Xavier Ravin III
  • Matt Sears
  • Alexandra Valladares

    2020-2021 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Bettina Umstead, Chair
  • Mike Lee, Vice Chair
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Jovonia Lewis
  • Frederick Xavier Ravin III
  • Matt Sears
  • Alexandra Valladares

    2019-2020 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • Mike Lee, Chair
  • Bettina Umstead, Vice Chair
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Minnie Forte-Brown
  • Xavier Cason
  • Matt Sears
  • Steve Unruhe

    2018-2019 Board of Education

Board members are:

  • The chair is Mike Lee
  • The vice chair is Steve Unruhe
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Minnie Forte-Brown
  • Bettina Umstead
  • Xavier Cason
  • Matt Sears

    2017-2018 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • The chair is Mike Lee
  • The vice chair is Steve Unruhe
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Minnie Forte-Brown
  • Bettina Umstead
  • Xavier Cason
  • Matt Sears

    2016-2017 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • The chair is Mike Lee
  • The vice chair is Natalie Beyer
  • Minnie Forte-Brown
  • Bettina Umstead
  • Xavier Cason
  • Matt Sears
  • Steve Unruhe

    2014-2015 Board of Education

Board members are:
  • The chair is Heidi Carter. Term expires June 30, 2016.
  • The vice chair is Minnie Forte-Brown. Term expires June 30, 2016.
  • Natalie Beyer
  • Leigh Bordley Term expires June 30, 2016
  • Sendolo Diaminah
  • Mike Lee
  • Matt Sears