School board votes to terminate CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 5-4 to terminate Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill.

Hill was ousted just one month after being reinstated following a two-month internal investigation, making her the district’s seventh superintendent since 2011.

The termination follows months of turmoil involving an internal investigation into Hill, as well as allegations made by Hill against the board regarding extortion, cronyism, and misspending.

In an 18-page report regarding the decision, the district stated: “The review did not find evidence of improper conduct by the superintendent.” It also said, “The review did not identify conflicts of interest or improper activity related to contracting by the superintendent.”

The report noted the $379,000 investigation is .02% of the district’s $2.1 billion budget. Hill was terminated for convenience, which entitles her to a full year’s salary of $341,000 in severance pay.

Board members acknowledged during the meeting that the district faces a significant effort to rebuild public trust following the decision.

The decision to terminate Hill followed her interview with a local radio station and a memo where she accused former board chair Stephanie Sneed of misspending and conflicts of interest. Board members who supported the termination argued that a leadership change was necessary.

School board member Dr. Charlitta Hatch advocated for a fresh direction for the school system. “We are making a decision to say that we need bold leadership, a reset across the board,” Hatch said.

Hatch also expressed concern regarding Hill’s recent media appearances. “If a principal, which many of them have been, were suspended and came back in the media, from what we have seen for weeks, what we are saying as a board is that that is okay,” Hatch said.

The sudden 5-4 vote highlighted sharp divisions among board members who opposed the motion. School board member Lenora Shipp questioned the abruptness of the vote. “I’m very concerned how this motion has come up so quickly,” Shipp said.

School board member Cynthia Stone also voiced opposition to changing leadership at this juncture. “Just seems to me the wrong time to change horses; it just seems to me that what we are doing is creating our own problems,” Stone said.

Other board members pointed directly to internal discord within the leadership body. School board member Dr. Monty Witherspoon criticized the board’s atmosphere during the meeting. “This board has spiraled into complete chaos,” Witherspoon said, later adding, “This board is dysfunctional, this broken.”

Despite the leadership turmoil, board members noted the need to maintain operations and public trust. School board member Liz Monterrey Duval emphasized the ongoing work within the district.

“We have challenges to address, but we also have progress to protect and build upon,” Monterrey Duval said. “CMS is still doing important work, and we remain on a trajectory of progress.”

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education released a statement regarding the current shake-ups, saying:

“Tonight, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted 5-4 to terminate Dr. Crystal Hill’s employment as Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for convenience, effective immediately. The Board has determined that a leadership transition is in the best long-term interest of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Under the terms of her employment contract, Dr. Hill is entitled to receive one year’s severance. Dr. Melissa Balknight has been appointed Acting Superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

In a separate leadership change, Stephanie Sneed has resigned as chair of the Board of Education. She will continue to serve as a member of the Board, and Vice Chair Gregory “Dee” Rankin will assume the role of board chair, and Elizabeth Monterrey-Duvall has been elected as vice-chair for the remainder of Mr. Rankin’s term.

We recognize that the events of recent months have created uncertainty for our employees, students, and families. Our priority now is to provide stability for the district, support our employees, and ensure that our schools remain focused on the education and well-being of every student.

The Board appreciates the service and leadership of Chair Sneed to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education and of Dr. Hill to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and recognizes the progress achieved during their respective tenures."

Hill’s departure marks continued leadership turnover for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, where she served as the district’s seventh superintendent since 2011.

Previous leaders of the school district include interim superintendent Hugh Hattabaugh, Earnest Winston, Clayton Wilcox, Ann Clark, Heath Morrison, and Peter Gorman.

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