‘Complete chaos’ with CMS ouster of Supt. Crystal Hill

CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools fired Superintendent Crystal Hill on Sept. 22, closing a three-year tenure that ended with clashes with the school board and a seven-week investigation of her management.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted 5-4 on Sept. 22 to terminate the contract of Superintendent Crystal Hill, ending her tenure as the school district’s chief executive.

Board members Charlitta Hatch, Liz Monterrey-Duval, Shamaiye Haynes voted to remove Hill, joining now-former chair Stephanie Sneed and her successor, Dee Rankin, the former vice chair.

At-large members Monty Witherspoon and Lenora Shipp were joined by district representatives Cynthia Stone and Anna London in voting against.

The school board came to the dais after a long delay, missing the 6 p.m. start time by about half an hour after a scheduled 4 p.m. closed session meeting.

Immediately after coming to the dais, Rankin recognized Hatch to make motions to modify the agenda. The board then voted 5-4 to add multiple agenda items to the agenda, including to Hill for convenience.

On a similar 5-4 vote, Monterrey Duvall was elected vice chair. Hatch took the reins for most of the meeting, making motions and guiding the process. She was in favor of terminating the contract.

“What you’re seeing in Washington is not acceptable here in Charlotte,” said Hatch, comparing board turmoil to the Trump administration. 

Haynes said Hill has been convicted in the court of public opinion, and members who voted in favor of the separation suggested it was time to move on from months of controversy and recriminations in the press.

“There’s not this much frenzy about student outcomes,” Sneed said. “There’s not this much frenzy about student scholarships.”

The board approved an investigation of Hill by an independent law firm and placed on paid leave on June 17. The panel voted in August to end her leave after the seven-week probe into oversight and administrative concerns, determining the district “review identified issues that will require ongoing attention as it relates to leadership and operational practices,” the board said in a joint statement. “We will address these issues directly with Dr. Hill.”

The school board declined to reveal the charges against Hill or what sparked the investigation.

“We believe this provides the best path forward while maintaining continuity and stability for our students, employees and families,” the panel’s August statement read. “The Board did not take this action lightly. When serious concerns involving district operations and oversight are raised, the Board has an obligation to investigate them thoroughly, carefully consider the findings and act in the best long-term interest of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.”

Because the motion was to terminate Hill for convenience, CMS is obligated to pay out all contractual obligations and benefits, including her $340,770 salary over the next year. It may increase to a mid-six-figure payout when all is tallied.

Hill joined CMS in 2022 as chief of staff, was promoted to superintendent a year later, making her the first Black woman to lead the nation’s 16th-largest school district at more than 143,000 students and a budget of more than $2 billion. 

Board members who voted against the motion had strong words for their colleagues.

“I don’t think this is the time to change horses,” said Stone, referencing a State Bureau of Investigation into the board as well as an inquiry from State Auditor Dave Boliek’s office.
Witherspoon was more blunt.

“This board has spiraled into complete chaos,” he said. “This board is broken.”

Herbert L. White of The Charlotte Post contributed to the report.

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