The Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office is hosting a free to attend presentation on The Intersection of Special Education and Criminal Justice. Pending approval by the NC State Bar, this presentation is for 1 other hour of CLE credit. If you need CLE credit, you must complete the post-CLE Webex form after you leave the webinar or the google form you will receive by email by Friday December 4th. All online attendance is confirmed by what Webex provides. Please register below:
When: December 1, 2026 at 12:30pm.
Where: Anyplace you have internet.
What: A criminal defense attorney will frequently request school records as part of their defense of a client. In those records, there may be information about a disability diagnosis and the accommodations the school implemented for the student. It is important for the criminal defense team to understand why schools implement these accommodations including possible failures in the implementation of these accommodations. This presentation will provide an overview of the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), then MDR (Manifestation Determination Reviews), and how students with specific disabilities are more likely to be court-involved. Students with disabilities are more likely to be suspended and end up in the school-to-prison pipeline. The presenter will also discuss how some schools require written statements before suspending a student and the collateral consequences of failing to provide students with their educational rights. Education is a lifeline for all of us to better understand our world and to grow as individuals. When kids are denied their right to an education, however, losing this lifeline can have ramifications for their entire lives.
Who: Keith Howard of The Law Offices of Keith L. Howard, PLLC practices in the areas of civil rights, education law (special education law, student discipline law, bullying, ESL, transfer/enrollment issues), personal injury, and auto accidents. Mr. Howard is licensed to practice law in the following states: District of Columbia, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. His entire legal career has been dedicated to advocating for the invisible and forgotten of our society. Prior to forming his law firm, he practiced civil rights, juvenile justice, special education law, and education law with the nonprofit, Advocates for Children’s Services, a specialized unit of Legal Aid of N.C., Inc., where he served as a staff attorney for six years.
Mr. Howard is a proud husband and the father of two beautiful little girls. He enjoys reading, writing, community service, traveling, and spending time with his family. Attorney Howard holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law and a B.A. from Winston-Salem State University.
Please email [email protected] with any questions.