Mission
The Right to Education Project (REP) is the statewide education justice project of Legal Aid of North Carolina that fights for students in the public education system to get access to the quality education they have a right to, and to end the school to prison pipeline.
How We Work
REP works through three main pathways to achieve greater education justice for students in North Carolina public schools.
Direct Advocacy
One-on-one advice, support, and/or legal representation for students and parents
Community Education
Presentations, trainings, and publications on students’ and parents’ rights related to education and public school
Community Lawyering
Advocacy in support of and in partnership with community groups & youth justice advocates to build parent and student power
Issue Areas
REP works to protect North Carolina public school students, including those in charter schools, who are experiencing the following forms of school push out:
Enrollment & Access
Denials of educational access, including situations where students are denied enrollment, and/or timely, appropriate access to a sound basic education. This can include a school environment that prevents a student from being able to learn.
Suspension, Expulsion, & Alternative School Placements
Direct school push-out by exclusionary discipline, including situations where students face unlawful and/or excessive out-of-school suspension, expulsion, or punitive placement in an alternative school or program.
Special Education & Disability-related Needs
Indirect school push-out as a result of a school’s failure to address a student’s disability-related needs, including situations where a student with a disability isn’t being given needed services and/or is excluded from the school environment or their non-disabled peers.
Discrimination & Harassment
Indirect school push-out as a result of a school’s maintenance of a hostile environment, including situations where a school creates and/or fails to take steps to address a discriminatory hostile environment.
Staff
Managing Attorney
Jen Story
Supervising Attorney
Carlton Powell
Staff Social Worker
Katie Haberman
Staff Attorneys
Cari Carson
Crystal Ingram
Hetali Lodaya (EJW Fellow)
Law Associate
Rebecca Cathcart
Education Resource Specialist
Stephany Taylor
Contact
If you are seeking DIRECT LEGAL ADVOCACY, contact the Legal Aid NC Helpline:
Legal Aid NC Helpline
Toll-Free: 1 (866) 219-LANC (5262)
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday – Friday
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Monday & Thursday
Apply for free help with civil (non-criminal) legal issues. Those 60 and older should call the Senior Helpline.
Resources
