Some CMS Teachers Say They’re Owed Thousands Of Dollars After Not Getting Paid In Full For Summer School

CHARLOTTE, NC. — CMS second grade teacher Darina Cooper says she was ecstatic for the opportunity to work six weeks during summer school.

“Most teachers work a second job to supplement income, and I work six weeks of my summer because, for the past year and a half, I haven’t been able to work a second job because I usually work in food service, you know what Covid did with that,” Cooper says.

Cooper says she got paid for the first three weeks of summer school and the first half of her bonus. She expected to receive the remainder of her summer pay on July 30th and the second half of her bonus on August 12th. Neither payment ever came. Cooper emailed Superintendent Earnest Winston’s office only to be told her concerns have been forwarded to a human capital partner at her school. She said she’s never heard of a human capital partner.

“The one email that you email, the my compensation when you email them they tell you to email summer dot school, and then they tell you to email my compensation, so it’s like we’re just emailing back-and-forth with different entities and not getting any answers.”

It’s been nearly 20 days, and she still hasn’t seen the thousands of dollars she’s owed. Money, she says she would have used for vacations and her grandchildren. Cooper tells WCCB it’s discouraging.

“It would make one think next year what I do this?”

The second-grade teacher says dozens of other teachers have been experiencing the same thing. Cooper says they won’t speak out for this story because they’re scared.

“A negative consequence or retaliation is what the people fear if they speak out. I fear that at this point, I’ll be truthful with you.”

WCCB asked the district why some teachers have not yet been paid in full for summer school. A spokesperson says they are checking on it, and when they get more information, they will get it to us.