On July 16, 2025, I received an official letter from the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights regarding my complaint about the Pittsburgh Job Corps Center, where my 21-year-old son Shawn Fortune died in February of this year.

The response?

They said they have no jurisdiction over Job Corps.

Yes—you read that right.

Job Corps is a federally funded program that houses thousands of vulnerable young people across the country, including many with mental health challenges. And yet, the Department of Education—the very agency you’d expect to oversee student welfare—says they cannot investigate or hold Job Corps accountable.

They cited a “jurisdictional limitation,” meaning Job Corps doesn’t fall under the schools or institutions they regulate.

So let me ask this:

When a young person dies in Job Corps custody, and their family receives no answers, no transparency, and no justice… who do we turn to?

Who’s responsible for protecting these kids?

This isn’t just a personal loss anymore—this is a national issue. It proves there is a dangerous loophole in the way federal youth programs operate. A lack of oversight like this is exactly how tragedies like Shawn’s get swept under the rug.

I’m sharing this update not just to be transparent—but to sound the alarm for other parents, educators, advocates, and lawmakers.

🔍 We need a full investigation into how Job Corps is structured, funded, and managed.

🛑 We need someone to take responsibility when students are harmed or killed under their care.

✊🏾 We need accountability and reform—NOW.

Please continue sharing the petition. The more attention we bring to this, the harder it becomes for them to keep hiding behind red tape.

Shawn deserved protection. He deserved better. And so do the thousands of students currently in Job Corps facilities across the country.

🖊️ Sign and share: https://chng.it/Wd4sMtVDwX

📸 (See attached letter from the Department of Education for proof.)

With urgency and truth,

— Trishawnna Dandridge