Durham County Youth Home Complaint

On December 12, 2025, the ACLU of North Carolina and the Duke Children’s Law Clinic filed a systemic state complaint with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), alleging that Durham Public Schools denied legally required education services to students with disabilities detained at the Durham County Youth Home.

Youth homes house young people who are detained while their cases move through the juvenile legal system. Many of the youth in these facilities have identified disabilities requiring special education services.

The complaint alleges that Durham Public Schools failed to provide students with disabilities with the educational support and services to which they are legally entitled. Specifically, it raises concerns that beginning in February 2025, the Youth Home implemented a near-total suspension of educational services, including special education services, during a facility-wide lockdown. Students were reportedly confined to their cells between 22 and 24 hours per day and received education services for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Even after the lockdown was lifted, students reportedly continued to receive only minimal instruction.

In January 2026, DPI declined to investigate the complaint, stating that it contained “insufficient facts to support the alleged violation.” The ACLU of North Carolina and the Children’s Law Clinic refiled the complaint in February 2026 with additional evidence. On March 12, DPI announced that it will open an investigation into whether Durham Public Schools complied with federal and state laws governing special education services for students detained at the Youth Home. The agency has indicated that it expects to complete its investigation and issue a final report by April 25, 2026. If violations are found, DPI may require Durham Public Schools to take corrective action to bring the facility into compliance with special education law.