Education Justice Alliance is alarmed by newly released reports showing the percentage of students restrained, secluded, and/or suspended in the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). Together, these two reports tell a consistent story across the same groups: Black students, Latine students, and students with disabilities. They are disproportionately subjected to both exclusionary discipline and physically harmful interventions.
When it comes to students who were restrained or secluded, in Fall of 2025, data shows 371 students were restrained or secluded more than 1,000 times. These numbers represent real children, disproportionately disabled and disproportionately Black, who are being subjected to harmful practices instead of receiving appropriate educational support. The reported increase in physical restraint from 628 to 768 incidents, along with continued high levels of seclusion, signals a failure to implement trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and disability-affirming approaches in Wake County schools. These practices should never be routine responses to disability-related behaviors or unmet support needs.
New district discipline data also shows stark and unacceptable disparities within school suspension rates…
- Black students make up 21% of the district’s enrollment yet account for 57.2% of suspensions
- Latine students represent 20.1% of enrollment and 19.1% of suspensions
- Students with disabilities comprise 11.5% of the student population but account for 38.1% of suspensions
- By contrast, white students make up 41.4% of enrollment but only 16.7% of suspensions
All of the data released over the past two days is a reflection of how the decision of adults who are charged with caring for students can be driven by systemic practices that reflect gaps in staffing, training, accountability, and meaningful family engagement.
Education Justice Alliance was founded to protect the rights and dignity of students who are most often marginalized by the education system. Our mission is to ensure that all children are educated in environments that prioritize safety, care, and equity over control and punishment.
WCPSS must clearly name and publicly share the concrete steps it is taking to address these interconnected disparities at a systemic level. Restraint, seclusion, in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, and alternative placements are not isolated responses. They reflect systemic practices that remove students from learning environments rather than investing in the support they need to thrive.
The district must also clearly name and publicly share the specific policies under review, the training being provided to staff, the accountability structures in place, and the resources being invested to prevent harm before it happens.
Families deserve to know not just that the district is responding, but how it is transforming its approach. This cannot be a short-term compliance response or effort, this needs to be a long-term commitment to changing the culture within WCPSS. The school district has an opportunity to lead in efforts that will impact and model a new way of serving our students and families. The time is now.
