CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On Tuesday, the CMS Board of Education’s superintendent search committee held its first meeting. The school board has appointed four members to a special ad hoc committee to spearhead the search. It’s chaired by board member Anna London, alongside board chair Dee Rankin, Cynthia Stone, and Dr. Monty Witherspoon. London says, “It is, you know, one of our most important responsibilities as the Board of Education, to hire the superintendent.”
In a 5 to 4 vote, he board fired Dr. Crystal Hill for convenience in September, which means they had to pay her severance. The firing came despite an investigation clearing her of improper conduct. The fallout was immediate: alleged threats against leadership, a criminal SBI probe, and an active FBI investigation.
London says, “We have a shared commitment to a transparent and inclusive process. Building trust is actually through action. So not just saying it.”
The process to find Dr. Hill’s replacement relies heavily on duplicating the 2023 search template. One difference this time around is board members will meet with the public directly at upcoming town halls, which could be quite lively.
With CMS now looking for its eighth superintendent in ten years, critics are asking why the board is using the exact same playbook. London defends the turnover. She says, “Nationally, superintendents for large districts, the average length of time is two and a half to three years. And so I wouldn’t necessarily attribute that to the process.”
Dr. Monty Witherspoon, who previously labeled the board as “dysfunctional,” says they need to repair the internal damage before picking a new leader. He says, “Moving forward, we’re gonna have to be intentional and thoughtful in, how we move forward, how we work together, (while) being laser focused on the main thing, which is student achievement.”
A community survey is slated to launch next to help build a candidate profile. In the meantime, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Melissa Balknight is the acting superintendent.
