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The CHAMPION The official legal organ of Malb County, EA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunmody Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain, | 50$ JULY 30 - AUGUST 5, 2020 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL 30 • NO. 5 Dozens of DCSD employees protested the anticipated furlough days July 23 at the district’s Stone Mountain headquarters. Photos by Jay Phillips DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond joined county staff July 25 to distribute signs and masks to local small businesses. Photo provided by DCTV Some furlough days offset by training days in approved DeKalb Schools’ budget BY ASIA ASHLEY Asia@dekalbchamp.com DeKalb County Board of Education on July 24 approved a $ 1.15 billion 2020-21 budget, which includes a plan to offset some furlough days with professional training days for essential staff. The impact of COVID-19 to the district’s and state’s anticipated revenue has left uncertainty as district staff were tasked with revising the budget to have minimal impact on school district employees. DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is estimated to lose $54.2 million in revenues this school year from the state due to 10 percent statewide budget cuts approved June 26. In addition, DCSD predicts a decline in tax revenues and an economic downturn for the 2021-22 school year. According to DCSD Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris, while the district’s 2020-21 budget includes six “calendar reduction days”— referred to as furlough days— lour days will be used for a “Professional Development Institute” that involves training, planning and instructional hybrid learning for essential employees. One of the planned calendar reduction days is to be bought back through CARES Act funding. With this new concept, district employees are subject to only one furlough day. It was undetermined at the meeting the amount staff would be paid for attending the institute, which was approved for Aug. 5-7, 2020, and Jan. 15,2021. Central office staff will not participate in the institute and will remain at five calendar reduction days. The budget also maintains a full step pay increase in January and more than $100 million in savings. Board of education member Joyce Morley voted against the budget, stating her preference that the district use some of its savings to cover the one remaining furlough day. Dozens of DCSD employees protested the anticipated furlough days the day prior to the vote at the district’s Stone Mountain headquarters. “Furlough days aren’t fair. Our job is not easy,” read one sign at the protest. At the protest, one teacher, who did not want to be named, passed around a petition for attendees to sign against furlough days. She indicated that teachers were planning to protest at the BOE meeting. However, since the meeting was held virtually, they “wanted to make sure their voices are heard” in another avenue. Dining the July 24 SEE FURLOUGH ON PAGE 8 Business owners urged to implement ‘No Mask, No Service’ policy As part of DeKalb County’s ongoing “Stop the Spread” campaign, 20,000 masks were distributed July 25 to local small businesses to encourage them to implement a “No Mask, No Service” policy to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Participating businesses also received a “No Mask, No Service” sign to post informing patrons of businessowners’ participation in the campaign. This effort began on July 25, the day the county’s mask mandate went into effect, requiring DeKalb residents age 8 and older “to utilize a face covering or mask which covers the nose and mouth when in any public place.” Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Clarkston, Decatur and Dunwoody have also approved mask mandates in their cities. “Guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that wearing face coverings or SEE MASKS ON PAGE 8 Breaking up may be hard to do but doable even during pandemic Two men wanted for shootings in attempted robbery PAGE 7 PAGE 12