FBI launches investigation into Charlotte–Mecklenburg Schools
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s office are taking a closer look at how Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools used federal funding. The investigation comes as the State Auditor looks into potential financial irregularities while the SBI looks for potential criminal wrongdoing. CMS is also under investigation by the Department of Public Instruction.
Some parents welcome the additional oversight to reveal the truth.
“Whether those investigations reveal no wrongdoing, at that point, then we could all exhale and start to rebuild the trust and move forward with this board,” Ann Margret Gidley, CMS Parent said. “If these investigations reveal wrongdoing, then they can address that and root out the wrongdoers and then we can see what consequences there are and move on.”
Ann Margret Gidley is a CMS Parent and volunteer. She started an online petition calling for board members who voted to fire Crystal Hill to resign. It now has nearly 1,000 signatures.
“I’m disappointed in the headline after headline after headline with all of these stories coming out that frankly are just very disappointing,” Gidley said.
Records show CMS spent more than $379,000 on an investigation into Hill that found no wrong doing. The board reinstated Hill and fired her weeks later. The district will still owe her at least one year of pay. After public pressure, CMS counsel released a report with some of the takeaways of the investigation. Board member Anna London says the firm did not release a written report to the board with the findings.
“We’ve had multiple closed sessions to discuss personnel matters,” Board member London said. “So yes, like I’ve seen the information, it was presented to us, but I had never seen these 18 pages.”
As the district starts the search for its next leader some worry the state of affairs at CMS could deter some superintendent applicants.
“I want to know that there’s trust and credibility and transparency and stability in who I’m reporting to,” Boardmember London said. “I definitely have concerns.”
Parents hope the investigations can close the loops and restore public trust.
“We want the priority on the classroom, on the students. We want buses getting kids to and from school. We want basic essentials in our classrooms. We don’t want investigations and severance pay and recruiting firms and PR firms,”
CMS and the board have released previous statement saying they will comply with all investigations. Mecklenburg County Commissioners will get a presentation about CMS funding at the meeting Tuesday evening.
