Two days after three Durham school administrators were indicted on criminal charges, the superintendent announced that all staff will undergo mandatory training in how to respond to possible child abuse.
Superintendent Anthony Lewis gave reporters an overview Thursday of how the school system was handling the matter, which concerns how the administrators investigated and followed up after a photo surfaced in November 2024 of a 6-year-old girl with autism tied with rope to a classroom chair.
“There are thousands of families across the entire Durham community who place a tremendous amount of trust in us each day,” Lewis said. “Not just to educate their children and most importantly to keep them safe. Both of those responsibilities are critically important.”
Lewis wouldn’t take any questions Thursday, citing confidential personnel matters and the ongoing investigation.
On Wednesday, Eno Valley Elementary School principal Tounya Clayton Wright, and two DPS administrators, Ayesha Hunter and Tanya Giovanni, were charged with
- Obstruction of Justice: All three officials are accused of failing to produce evidence requested via search warrants and court orders.
- Perjury: Hunter and Wright are also accused of lying under oath. Wright allegedly claimed she only learned of the photo when it was “anonymously slipped under her door,” despite evidence suggesting she was previously aware of it. Hunter allegedly claimed she did not have any notes from the investigation.
Giovanni, Hunter and Wright have been suspended from DPS with pay. Lewis said the district is conducting its own investigation with Raleigh-based Tharrington Smith law firm.
DPS’ next steps
Lewis, who became superintendent in the summer of 2024, said the unidentified teaching assistants accused in the incident were questioned, suspended, and ultimately resigned.
“In the months that followed, law enforcement questioned various members of our staff and court orders were issued to the school system for a variety of documents,” Lewis said. “Law enforcement raised concerns that our response was not as timely, accurate or complete as it should be.”
In December, Lewis said, the school system learned the three administrators were being investigated for their handling of the incident. DPS doesn’t have a timeline for how long the investigations will take or know if the administrators will be reinstated.
While DPS has established policies in place, Lewis said additional measures will include the mandatory training, standardizing systems to log and store legal documents, and figuring out how to better respond to law enforcement agencies’ requests.
“When we’re talking about the safety, the well-being of our scholars, there is only one path forward,” Lewis said. “We must act with urgency, and we must cooperate fully, and if we fail to do that we must indeed hold people accountable.”
Durham Public Schools has over 50 schools. Eno Valley Elementary, on Milton Road, has 396 students, according to the school’s website. Alexis Spann is listed as interim principal.
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 5:57 PM.
Kristen Johnson
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