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  • Our Statement on Recent Actions to Dismantle the Dept. of Education

    Our Statement on Recent Actions to Dismantle the Dept. of Education

    June 18, 2026 – A Statement from Moran Center Executive Director and Youth Defense Attorney, Patrick Keenan-Devlin:

    Every young person deserves a school environment where their needs are recognized, their rights are protected, and they have the support necessary to learn and thrive.

    At the James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy, we know that when these protections are weakened or denied, students, especially Black students, students with disabilities, and young people from families living in poverty, are pushed further toward exclusion, disconnection, and the school-to-prison pipeline.

    We strongly condemn the recent and ongoing actions of the current federal administration to aggressively dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) and weaken the federal protections that millions of students and families rely upon.

    This week, core functions of the DOE related to special education and civil rights enforcement were shifted to other federal agencies that lack the resources and expertise needed to adequately carry out these responsibilities effectively.

    This action threatens to weaken the federal protections that millions of children and families rely on, including students with disabilities, students whose civil rights have been violated, and young people who depend on special education services, Section 504 plans, and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).


    It is imperative at this time that we look to support local organizations and advocacy efforts that protect and advance the educational rights of all young people, especially students of color and children living in poverty.


    While the administration cites this relocation of duties and programs as an effort in “bolstering the efficacy of federal oversight,” these actions will inevitably weaken federal enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which currently protect classroom access for more than 7.5 million children with disabilities.1


    We join the Legal Defense Fund in calling on states and school districts to strengthen civil rights protections for their students.2 Alongside the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, we urge Congress to take legislative action to prevent the redistribution of DOE oversight in special education and civil rights enforcement to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice.3


    At a time when federal protections are being weakened, the need for local advocacy is urgent.

    The Moran Center will continue standing with young people and families to protect their educational rights, secure the supports and accommodations they need, and challenge the exclusionary practices that push students out of school and toward the criminal legal system.

    We are grateful to our community and partners for helping make this work possible.

    The James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Evanston, Illinois, that provides free, integrated legal, social work, and restorative services to the community.

    For more information, visit moran-center.org or contact rsolomon@moran-center.org

    1. Nittle, Nadra. “Education Department Changes are Leaving Millions of Vulnerable Students at Risk.” 19thnews.org (June 17, 2026) ↩︎
    2. Labi, Hamida. “LDF Condemns the U.S. Department of Education’s Latest Efforts to Dismantle Agency and Abandon Students’ Civil Rights.” naacpldf.org (June 17, 2026) ↩︎
    3. Marshall, Denise. “Unlawful Plan Harms Every Child with a Disability.” copaa.org (June 16, 2026) ↩︎
    Read more: Our Statement on Recent Actions to Dismantle the Dept. of Education

  • Our Commitment to Equity

    Our Commitment to Equity

    Racial equity and economic equity are at the core of the Moran Center’s mission and vision for a more restorative society.

    The Moran Center will not erase the words “racial equity” from our values, message, and programs to capitulate to the current administration.

    Supporting Our Team

    Recent federal actions have created real uncertainty and anxiety as to whether Moran Center employees – whose work is rooted in racial equity, civil rights, immigrant support, and community advocacy – will continue to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). That uncertainty is compounded by the broader instability and confusion surrounding student loan administration and PSLF.

    As a values-based organization, the Moran Center is pursuing creative and practical ways to support staff both in and out of the office, including competitive compensation and benefits such as direct 403(b) contributions for employees navigating the student loan landscape, so they can build long-term financial security.

    Land Acknowledgment

    We recognize that we work and raise funds on the unceded ancestral homelands of the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations.

    Many Indigenous Nations have called this region home, including the Menominee; Otoe, Missouria, and Iowas; Winnebago/Ho-Chunk, Meskwaki; Sauk; Miami, Wea, and Piankasha; Kickapoo; and Illini Confederacy.

    The Moran Center financially supports the cultural outreach efforts of the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum to preserve the heritage of greater Evanston’s indigenous peoples.

    Client Engagement

    The Moran Center clients have the choice to share their lived experiences, and are compensated for their participation in promotional materials.

    Read more: Our Commitment to Equity

  • Deandreas, a local businessman and former Moran Center client as a juvenile, returned for support with clearing his record. As a young person, Deandreas’ parents worked several jobs, and he says his time without supervision led to his “being introduced to a lifestyle” that got him into trouble.

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    At 15, Deandreas was caught with a gun and had Tom Verdun at the Moran Center as his defense attorney – who he says became a mentor to him.

    With time, the Moran Center worked with Deandreas on his case and preventing future incidents, and years later when he returned for record remediation.

    Deandreas now owns his own local business, DM Investments, which operates a construction company where he has become a mentor to other justice-involved young people in their lives and careers.

    “We invest in our community, and people,” Deandreas says. “A lot of people, when they don’t have things to do, they get in trouble, so we like to mentor people” – as he does, himself, as a volunteer with Chicagoland Prison Outreach’s vocational program.

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  • D’Juana reached out to the Moran Center when she faced system-involvement and homelessness, which she was determined to resolve for her children. The Moran Center soon learned that D’Juana would bring an unwavering positivity into working through the challenges ahead, despite already facing some of her worst moments.

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    D’Juana, her two kids, and dog were living in their car. She says her motivation was to become something and to see her children succeed.

    Today, D’Juana has come along way – navigating legal difficulties, repairing harms, and processing their emotional consequences with the support of her “super therapist” and case manager Coni Benitez.

    She and her family are housed and, with the Moran Center’s holistic help, has been able to process struggles in multiple areas of life.

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  • Roz connected with the Moran Center as an expectant mother of her fourth child during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roz’s mother had just passed, and she had taken over her home’s lease and was now looking after her mom’s three foster children in addition to her own.

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    Roz’s Moran Center civil legal attorney, Megan McClung, supported her in the custody process, keeping her family of eight together and in their community.

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  • Maddie contacted the Moran Center when she was facing housing insecurity after losing both her parents. Her advocates supported her through the emancipation process, allowing her to be her head of household, which led to new opportunities like opening a bank account and being able to have housing voucher of her own for rental assistance.

    Meet Maddie:

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  • Muhammed and his mother, Kania, first began working toward their goals alongside the Moran Center in 2022. Muhammed was a kind, bright high school freshman, who faced being pulled deep into the criminal legal system for a non-violent offense. Unable to afford an attorney, Kania called the Moran Center.

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    We soon discovered more under the surface of Muhammed’s case. His dream was to attend Evanston Township High School (ETHS). His IEP for his learning disability complicated his enrollment and caused him anxiety.

    He began seeing his Moran Center mental health counselor bi-weekly while his Education Advocacy attorney built a case for his right to an appropriate learning environment. During this time, Kania faced challenges with an insurance claim, and was also supported by a Moran Center attorney.

    It has been almost four years since Muhammed began working alongside the Moran Center, during which time he made deliberate choices to cut ties with negative influences and re-engage in school. His case was resolved and today, at 18 years of age, Muhammed is a beloved camp counselor who got to attend and graduate from ETHS!

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