Justice EmpowerED

Welcome to:

for our students

Defending the right of every student to learn and belong.

MISSION

Justice EmpowerED partners with families, students, and community to protect every child’s right to public education, justice, and safety by providing legal services, advocacy, and training.

OFFERINGS

Legal Services

Justice EmpowerED is able to accept a limited number* of clients for legal advice and representation for students in public school is Forsyth County involving: 

  1. Exclusionary Discipline: Representation for students facing Expulsion, Long-Term Suspension, or Reassignment to an Alternative School (such as Main Street Academy), and/or students who are being repeatedly suspended for the same or similar reasons. 
  2. Students with Disabilities: Representation for students who have or need an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan and:
    1. Are being excluded from school or segregated from their non-disabled peers due to their disability
    2. Are being suspended for behaviors related to their disability
    3. Are not receiving appropriate accommodations, modifications, and/or special designed instruction through their IEP or Section 504 Plan; or 
    4. Are are facing barriers with their IEPs or Section 504 Plans being appropriately implemented by the school  
  3. Bullying and Harassment: Students who are facing bullying, disability discrimination, or racial discrimination .
  4. Obstacles to Enrollment: Students who are experiencing public school enrollment barriers.

*Justice EmpowerED cannot guarantee legal representation and can only accept cases for legal advice and representation as capacity allows. 

How to Connect

To request Justice EmpowerED’s legal services, please email us at  JusticeEmpowered@action4equityws.org  or call us and leave a message at (336) 283-5122. 

While we will do our best to respond to all inquiries within 7 business days, Justice EmpowerED cannot guarantee legal representation due to limited capacity. 

Education Rights Trainings

Hayley is available to host trainings and workshops to address systemic barriers and inequities in education, inform students and families of their legal rights in education, and address structural violence impacting students and families

If you’re interested in education rights training, please email us at  JusticeEmpowered@action4equityws.org  or call us and leave a message at (336) 283-5122. 

Education Justice Advocacy

Justice EmpowerED will also: 

  • Use community-driven research to shape policies and programs for safe, just outcomes for students.
  • Co-create and pilot interventions with grassroots partners to address root causes of inequity in education..
  • Collaborate with communities and policymakers through advisory councils and forums to drive systemic reform in education.

Meet Hayley

Hayley Lampkin Blyth is originally from Buffalo, NC but considers North Carolina home. Having lived in most major cities in NC, she is excited to have settled in the Triad.

Hayley graduated Cum Laude from The North Carolina Central University School of Law, where she served as Articles Editor on the Law Review and participated in the Juvenile Law Clinic. Since graduation, she has focused her practice on Education Law, first at a small law firm focused on Education Law and Civil Rights, then as a Staff Attorney with Council for Children’s Rights’ Education Law Program, and most recently as the Director of the Education Advocacy Program at the Children’s Law Center of Central North Carolina. Hayley is passionate about ensuring all children receive their right to an education. She represents students in school discipline matters, special education and Section 504 cases, and other education related legal matters.

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Will, and her two young children, Liam and Owen.