Board is actively defending or pursuing three lawsuits

What happened

Closed-session portions of board meetings over the past year identify three active pieces of litigation involving the Board of Education: (1) CATE Services and Construction, LLC v. Durham Public Schools Board of Education (Durham Superior Court, first referenced September 2025 and still being discussed as of June 2026), a dispute with a construction contractor; (2) Durham Public Schools Board of Education v. Kent Underwood (Durham Superior Court, referenced April 2026); and (3) D.J., a minor child, through his guardian ad litem Tonya Ward, v. Jill Schabow, Crystal Douglas, and Durham County Board of Education (Durham Superior Court, referenced June 2026), a case naming the board and two named individuals as defendants alongside a minor plaintiff. Because the board only discusses active litigation in closed session to preserve attorney-client privilege, the collected record establishes that these cases exist and are being actively handled by counsel, but does not establish the underlying facts, claims, or dollar amounts at issue in any of them.

Why it matters to families

Active litigation, especially a case brought on behalf of a minor child, is exactly the kind of legal exposure families should be able to see reflected on the public record, even when the underlying facts are not yet public.

The evidence

Board meeting agendas record attorney-client-privileged closed-session consultations citing each case by name and court file: CATE Services and Construction, LLC v. Durham Public Schools Board of Education (first appearing on the September 11, 2025 agenda and again June 25, 2026); Durham Public Schools Board of Education v. Kent Underwood, 25 CV 012613-310 (April 9, 2026 agenda); and D.J. v. Jill Schabow, Crystal Douglas, and Durham County Board of Education, 26CV002783-310 (June 25, 2026 agenda).

The source