Durham Public Schools Superintendent Pascal Mubenga has resigned. Bettina Umstead, who chairs the Durham school board, announced the news Wednesday night.<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Mubenga has done good work here in Durham, and it is extremely difficult to accept his resignation this evening,\u201d Umstead said, after listing a series of Mubenga\u2019s accomplishments in improving the academic performance of Durham schools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
His academic record notwithstanding, Mubenga has come under fire recently following a pay dispute that has thrown the system into chaos, including days of protests and school closures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Mubenga, who joined the district in 2017, will receive $297,759 in severance pay under the terms of his resignation agreement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
The announcement came after a three-hour closed session on Wednesday night. Before the meeting, the board had faced calls for Mubenga\u2019s dismissal over his handling of the pay dispute.<\/span><\/p>\n
In October 2023, over 1,000 Durham Public Schools classified employees received pay raises, only to be informed by email in January that the district could not accommodate their raises, and that they were being taken away. The employees, many of whom upgraded their apartments and quit second jobs, were left dumbfounded.<\/span><\/p>\n