‘We are a mess.' CMS board creates committee to examine its own problems
After weeks of turmoil , controversies and occasional infighting , the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board Tuesday agreed on at least one thing: It needs to take a hard look at itself. The board voted unanimously to establish an ad hoc committee tasked with evaluating its governance practices and recommending reforms, nearly seven weeks after the contentious firing of Superintendent Crystal Hill. The move follows repeated calls from board members and the public to address concerns about accountability, transparency and their ability to work together. At the September meeting where Hill was fired and board member Stephanie Sneed stepped down from her post as board chair, board member Monty Witherspoon called the board “dysfunctional” and said it had “spiraled into chaos.” Board member Haynes, who spearheaded the proposal, acknowledged the board’s struggles in urging her colleagues to support the committee. “A few weeks ago, one of us said it plainly: ‘We are a mess,’” Haynes said. “We’ve sounded the alarm. Now are we prepared to change?” The newly established Board Strategy, Governance, and Operations Committee will develop recommendations for improving board operations, strengthening governance practices and creating a strategic plan for the board itself. Its responsibilities include evaluating the board’s existing Student
