Durham Public Schools Superintendent Anthony Lewis held a news conference Thursday, addressing the criminal indictments against three district administrators.
Lewis stressed that DPS is committed to student safety, and outlined changes underway as a result of the incident. Lewis declined to answer any questions at the conclusion of the press conference, claiming he was not able to in order to protect student and staff privacy.
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WRAL News first reported last year that police were investigating a Nov. 2024 incident in which they say an educator tied a six-year-old student with autism to a chair, using a rope, at Eno Valley Elementary. Two educators were suspended and then resigned as a result, according to DPS.
This week, indictments came down for Principal Tounya Wright, a deputy superintendent Tanya Giovanni, and senior executive director for employee relations Ayesha Hunter. The women are all facing charges for felony obstruction of justice. Hunter and Wright are also being charged with perjury. Durham Police say the women were not truthful with investigators regarding the alleged incident.
"Law enforcement raised concerns that our response was not as timely, accurate, or complete as it should be," Lewis said. "And let me be clear, we take these concerns very seriously."
Lewis says the three women have been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Lewis says DPS has hired a law firm to conduct a review of the situation. He also said teachers and staff will be undergoing additional training, and will have regular communication with the Durham County District Attorney's Office moving forward to ensure DPS is meeting any requirements related to criminal investigations.
"There are thousands of families across Durham, the entire Durham community, who place a tremendous amount of trust in us each not just to educate their children, but to care for them and most importantly to keep them safe," he said. "Our most foundational and fundamental job is to ensure that our students are safe."
As WRAL previously reported, the incident came to light, according to a Durham Police search warrant, because a custodian witnessed the child tied up in a chair, discretely photographed it, and raised the issue with the front office.
One of the instructional assistants assigned to that classroom was charged, according to police, yet the charges were later dismissed by the District Attorney's Office. DA Satana Deberry declined to elaborate on why. The search warrant explains that police were given conflicting accounts about what adults were present in the room at the time.
WRAL asked DPD if charges could be forthcoming related to the abuse itself, and did not receive a response.
The three administrators charged were given bonds by a Durham County clerk this week, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Court records show all three posted bond.
WRAL has attempted to contact them, and has not heard back.
"DPS employees are held to a high standard," Lewis said. "I don't want this incident to overshadow all of the good things and all of the good work that they are doing in terms of exciting and positive things for students."