{"id":8644,"date":"2022-11-18T21:26:46","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T21:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?p=8644"},"modified":"2023-03-27T15:59:07","modified_gmt":"2023-03-27T15:59:07","slug":"school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift"},"content":{"rendered":"

During Thursday\u2019s Durham Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga applauded billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott\u2019s $18 million donation to the school district, but urged patience from the community as the district decides how to utilize the funds.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe will want to make sure these funds are going to have a long and lasting impact,\u201d Mubenga said. \u201cWe have 32,000 students, we will want to make sure it\u2019s going to impact all these students.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (the couple divorced in 2019), is the <\/span>30th richest person<\/span><\/a>\u2014and the <\/span>fourth-richest woman<\/span><\/a>\u2014in the world, according to <\/span>Forbes<\/span><\/i>. On Nov. 14, Scott announced via <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> that over the last seven months, she donated over $1.9 billion to 343 organizations, including DPS, in order to support \u201cthe voices and opportunities of people from underserved communities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At Thursday\u2019s meeting, Mubenga said Scott\u2019s representatives reached out to him two months ago and told him that the 52-year-old would be making the unrestricted donation to the district.\u00a0 \u201cWe were surprised when representatives for Ms. Scott contacted us to let us know that she was going to make a donation in support of our students and our schools,\u201d Mubenga said.<\/span><\/p>\n

He even joked that when Scott\u2019s representatives first reached out, \u201cI thought it was a scam.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that community members have reached out to him via email to express their excitement at the news.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis is unexpected good news, and we must be careful and strategic about how we can best prioritize this funding,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, I ask our community [for] patience, as we work with this board to deploy this grant in a way that follows Durham\u2019s values and aligns with our strategic plan.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in 2019, in the wake of receiving roughly <\/span>$36 billion in Amazon shares<\/span><\/a> after her divorce from Bezos, Scott signed <\/span>The Giving Pledge<\/span><\/a>, a commitment by the world\u2019s wealthiest individuals (and their families) to donate a majority of their wealth to charity. In her Medium post, Scott noted that most of her donations are to <\/span>funds<\/span><\/a>, which \u201cpool donations and spread them across a diverse group of smaller organizations working toward a common cause.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

DPS is not the only school district to benefit from Scott\u2019s latest round of philanthropy. Chicago Public Schools and Detroit Public Schools, among others, are also included in the group of\u00a0 the 343 organizations Scott is supporting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese kinds of funds come once in a lifetime. Let\u2019s be patient,\u201d Mubenga said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the district\u2019s FY 2022-23 Budget Resolution, the district expects to receive $684 million in revenues\u00a0 for the current school year.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not the first time Scott has donated to a Durham-based organization. Back in 2020, she announced on <\/span>Medium<\/span><\/a> that she had donated to Meals on Wheels Durham.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During Thursday\u2019s Durham Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga applauded billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott\u2019s $18 million donation to the school district, but urged patience…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-schools","entry"],"yoast_head":"\nSchool board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"During Thursday\u2019s Durham Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga applauded billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott\u2019s $18 million donation to the school district, but urged patience…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"9th Street Journal\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"stepht@duke.edu\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"stepht@duke.edu\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"stepht@duke.edu\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/915eb670c76ba64d4177f332f818a5e6\"},\"headline\":\"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\"},\"wordCount\":469,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Schools\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\",\"name\":\"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/\",\"name\":\"9th Street Journal\",\"description\":\"We cover Durham (and North Carolina politics)\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"9th Street Journal\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/09\/9th-Street-Journal-Logo-cropped.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/09\/9th-Street-Journal-Logo-cropped.jpeg\",\"width\":869,\"height\":104,\"caption\":\"9th Street Journal\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/915eb670c76ba64d4177f332f818a5e6\",\"name\":\"stepht@duke.edu\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd32b8b967cb1d5c75d96fa74981ba40?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd32b8b967cb1d5c75d96fa74981ba40?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"stepht@duke.edu\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/centers-dewitt.sanford.duke.edu\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/author\/max-rego\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal","og_description":"During Thursday\u2019s Durham Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga applauded billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott\u2019s $18 million donation to the school district, but urged patience…","og_url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/","og_site_name":"9th Street Journal","article_published_time":"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00","author":"stepht@duke.edu","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"stepht@duke.edu","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/"},"author":{"name":"stepht@duke.edu","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/915eb670c76ba64d4177f332f818a5e6"},"headline":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift","datePublished":"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/"},"wordCount":469,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Schools"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/","url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/","name":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift - 9th Street Journal","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#website"},"datePublished":"2022-11-18T21:26:46+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-27T15:59:07+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/2022\/11\/18\/school-board-celebrates-surprise-18-million-gift\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"School board celebrates surprise $18 million gift"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/","name":"9th Street Journal","description":"We cover Durham (and North Carolina politics)","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#organization","name":"9th Street Journal","url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/09\/9th-Street-Journal-Logo-cropped.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/09\/9th-Street-Journal-Logo-cropped.jpeg","width":869,"height":104,"caption":"9th Street Journal"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/915eb670c76ba64d4177f332f818a5e6","name":"stepht@duke.edu","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd32b8b967cb1d5c75d96fa74981ba40?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/fd32b8b967cb1d5c75d96fa74981ba40?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"stepht@duke.edu"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/centers-dewitt.sanford.duke.edu"],"url":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/author\/max-rego\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8644"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8644\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/9thstreetjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}