Durham, North Carolina — Durham Public Schools is conducting an internal investigation after a school principal and two district administrators were indicted on felony obstruction of justice charges tied to an alleged abuse case involving a six-year-old autistic student.
Superintendent Anthony Lewis said Thursday that the district is investigating the actions of Eno Valley Elementary School Principal Tounya Wright, senior executive director of employee relations Ayesha Hunter, and deputy superintendent of administration Tanya Giovanni. Prosecutors allege the three failed to cooperate fully with law enforcement following reports that a teaching assistant tied the child to a chair in November 2024. Two of the officials also face possible perjury charges.
Court documents allege the administrators obstructed the investigation by failing to provide records in a timely and complete manner and may have violated state law requiring immediate reporting of suspected child abuse. All three have been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the district’s investigation.
Lewis said the district has retained Tharrington Smith LLP to conduct an independent review and emphasized that Durham Public Schools will cooperate fully with prosecutors. He announced new measures to standardize recordkeeping, improve coordination with the Durham County District Attorney’s office, and expand mandatory child abuse training for principals, administrators, and exceptional children’s staff.
Durham Public Schools Board of Education Chair Bettina Umstead and Vice Chair Millicent Rogers called the allegations “alarming” and said accountability will follow if wrongdoing is confirmed. Bond was set at $10,000 for Giovanni and $5,000 each for Hunter and Wright.
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