{"id":1969,"date":"2026-05-31T05:42:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T05:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1969"},"modified":"2026-05-31T05:42:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T05:42:15","slug":"chapel-hill-mom-of-student-in-yearbook-omission-writes-a-book-advocates-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1969","title":{"rendered":"Chapel Hill mom of student in yearbook omission writes a book, advocates inclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 An autistic Chapel Hill mom, educator, and disability advocate has written a book that digs deeper into conversations about inclusion, accountability, and belonging when vulnerable people are overlooked by the systems meant to protect them.<\/p>\n

Read more Hurricanes fans discover Stanley Cup tickets nearly sold out just hours after going live<\/a><\/p>\n

The new book, titled \u201cUnapologetic Mercy,\u201d comes as the author, Krista Zelt Caraway, continues advocating for families following the omission of special needs students in the Chapel Hill High School yearbook.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel pretty upset about it that I get left out,\u201d said Luke Lee, a straight-A, graduating senior. <\/p>\n

And he\u2019s not alone. \u201cAnd I also feel like Lexi, my sister, was left out too, and other students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke and Lexi, and more than 12 of their fellow special needs schoolmates, were omitted from the yearbook.<\/p>\n

Luke and his mom, Krista Zelt Caraway, call it one more case in the disability community of being out of sight, out of mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they\u2019re amazing humans,\u201d Caraway said. \u201cAnd they deserve to be recognized just with everybody else. No more, no less. It\u2019s kind of like the encyclopedia of that school. That school will keep every yearbook from the year that it started until the end. And if you\u2019re not included, well, there\u2019s no record of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, I\u2019m speaking out for those who don\u2019t have a voice or who are just scared to speak up for themselves,\u201d Luke added.<\/p>\n

Following public outcry from families and advocates, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools issued a statement apologizing for what district leaders described as gaps in internal procedures rather than intentional exclusion.<\/p>\n

The district says updated yearbooks and professionally produced insert pages are being planned for affected students and families.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to advocate for them to remake the yearbook,\u201d Caraway said<\/p>\n

What began as a yearbook dispute has evolved into a larger conversation about disability rights, visibility, and the responsibility schools have to ensure every student feels seen and valued.<\/p>\n

Read more Raleigh community comes together for mental health at \u2018988 and Skate\u2019 event<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like students with disabilities are historically an afterthought,\u201d Caraway added.<\/p>\n

And this mom, former school teacher, disability advocate, and author, who happens to be autistic herself \u2014 like Luke and Lexi \u2014 has written the book with \u201cUnapologetic Mercy: A mother\u2019s fight for truth in a system that failed the most vulnerable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

And it describes the incident like the book\u2019s main character, Laney, who is based on non-speaking Lexi.<\/p>\n

\u201c(She\u2019s) A former student of mine,\u201d Caraway continued. \u201cThat was found neglected and abused near death. And, when nobody stepped in, we did. So she\u2019s been with us since then. I wrote this book because our family lived through experiences that taught us what it feels like to be overlooked, excluded, and misunderstood.\u201d<\/p>\n

The book explores disability, trauma, survival, dignity, and community while asking questions about accountability when systems break down.<\/p>\n

Caraway argues that justice and mercy are not opposing forces but partners in creating meaningful change in the disability community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spent much of my life working to help build communities and schools where everybody feels safe as though they belong and are a part of the true community,\u201d\u00a0Caraway said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s about being honest, doing the right thing and healing,\u201d Luke said.<\/p>\n

While Caraway says she is considering legal counsel regarding the yearbook situation, she emphasizes that her primary goal is systemic repair and lasting accountability for the disability community.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\tMom advocates inclusion after NC yearbook omission<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n


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\t\t\t\tSee the latest news from Orange County\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Caraway says she hopes that \u201cUnapologetic Mercy\u201d will encourage educators, policymakers, parents, and community leaders to examine how institutions respond when vulnerable individuals are excluded or overlooked.<\/p>\n

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School District says it remains committed to ensuring all students are seen, valued, and included moving forward.<\/p>\n

Read more Girl taken to hospital after she\u2019s hit by car in Raleigh on Buffaloe Road; 4 juveniles ran across road in dark: Police<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cUnapologetic Mercy\u201d is available on Amazon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — An autistic Chapel Hill mom, educator, and disability advocate has written a book that digs deeper into conversations about inclusion, accountability, and belonging when vulnerable people are overlooked by the systems meant to protect them. 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