‘I have never fled’: Superintendent Earnest Winston responds to being fired by CMS
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CMS Superintendent fired by school board
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 7-2 on Tuesday to fire Superintendent Earnest Winston, effective immediately. Here’s everything you need to know.
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted 7-2 Tuesday to fire Superintendent Earnest Winston, effective immediately.
Board members pointed to documents they released as reasons why they opted to fire Winston, who had been on the job for two-and-a-half years. Concerns included Winston’s slow implementation of district safety measures, questions of judgment related to Title IX issues and the slow or delayed implementation of key decisions, according to records released Tuesday from Winston’s personnel file.
Elyse Dashew, Margaret Marshall, Sean Strain, Rhonda Cheek, Carol Sawyer, Lenora Shipp and Jennifer De La Jara voted to fire Winston. Thelma Byers-Bailey and Ruby Jones were the no votes.
“We must move forward on a different path,” Cheek said.
Byers-Bailey called it “a sad day.”
“I have been a supporter of Winston from the beginning. Earnest gave us his best,” Byers-Bailey said. “I don’t believe this decision serves in his best interest.”
Winston emailed reporters after the meeting, saying it was an honor to lead the district.
“Leading an organization responsible for educating children through the pandemic has been the ultimate challenge, and one from which I have never fled,” Winston wrote. “No other time in modern public education history have leaders been required to navigate a convergence of factors of such significance.”
Winston said his intention as a leader was always to lead with integrity, compassion and gratitude.
“As I reflect on my time as superintendent, my best leadership lessons have come from students,” Winston said. “They have demonstrated extreme resilience during uncertain times, the power of honest feedback and courage to ask for the help they need.”
The board named former CMS Chief Operating Officer Hugh Hattabaugh, who was the interim superintendent of the district in 2011, to another interim superintendent stint. Scott McCully will be acting superintendent for a brief period until Hattabaugh arrives Monday.
The 47-year-old Winston was not present during the meeting. He also was not at work Tuesday. He’ll be paid $576,800 — $24,033 per month — for the two remaining years of his contract.
Jones criticized the firing process and blamed Dashew for the “spectacle” created this week regarding Winston’s pending termination. She said the change in leadership will set the district back.
“This was not thoughtful nor aimed to be productive for this district of 74% minority children, and certainly not respectful of this superintendent who has worked arduously during this unusual circumstance,” Jones said. “Long term, serving superintendents across this country have resigned or retired, yet Ms. Dashew met with and listened to and ramrodded the termination of Mr. Winston for convenience not cause, convenience being of that of the shiny-shoe people ... who want to project an image.”
Dashew told The Charlotte Observer that Jones’ statements about her are “simply not true,” and she said at the end of Tuesday’s meeting she was only one board member who possessed a single vote.
Winston told the Observer that grades, test results and academic performance represent a one-dimensional view of what it means to educate children who have survived a pandemic in the 21st century.
“Our children’s mental health and well-being should be the priority,” he said. “Only when we can reach them can we teach them. So, I end my service as superintendent the way I began it—centering student needs. I will continue to be an advocate for young people, an active and engaged parent in CMS and a staunch supporter of public education.”
‘Different leader is needed’
When the board hired Winston nearly three years ago, it sought stability and calm guidance.
It didn’t matter at the time his background included reporter stints — he’s a former Observer journalist — but lacked professional education degrees. Winston’s perspective and non-traditional superintendent route was an example, particularly to students, that anybody can be anything, district educators and board members said at the time of his hiring.
But the pandemic exacerbated already canyon-sized achievement gaps in CMS. The school year also has seen record increases in violence and weapons on campuses as well as questions about ways the district dealt with sexual assault and harassment claims among students.
“We have not arrived here easily. It has been a difficult decision,” Dashew said. “Earnest Winston cares deeply for CMS, for our students, employees and our community, and he’s given his all in his 18 years in this district. He’s a good man, and no one can dispute this.
“However we believe a different leader is needed to shore up this district. Student outcomes are what matter most. We are confident this is the right decision at the right time.”
‘Scapegoat in all of this’
Parents, students and community members reacted when news broke Monday that the board would meet Tuesday to terminate Winston’s contract.
On Tuesday, parent Lisa O’Bryan said it was unfortunate Winston inherited a failing school district in 2019.
“I find it interesting that this school board, with one exception, sang Mr. Winston’s praises and rewarded him with a raise and a contract extension just 14 months ago even though performance results did not support that,” O’Bryan said. “Could it be that certain BOE members are taking this action now to distract from their own failures because it’s an election year? Parents are paying attention and we are acutely aware that CMS needs new leadership from the top down.”
Darice Elam, who has a granddaughter in CMS, said Winston is a “scapegoat in all of this.” Elam added, “They approved every plan he put in place.”
Winston’s history with CMS
Winston began his CMS career in 2004 as a teacher before moving into the central office, where he was promoted to chief of staff in 2012 and had been the district’s ombudsman since 2017. Winston was CMS’ second Black superintendent after James Pughsley, who served from 2002 to 2005.
In February 2021, the board extended his contract to 2025. It gave him a 3% raise, taking his salary from $280,000 to $288,400.
State Sen. Joyce Waddell, a 30-year North Carolina educator, including 20 in CMS, sat in the spectator section of Tuesday’s meeting. She told the Observer she was there “out of concern for the process and what’s next.”
She said Winston faced more adversity than any other superintendent from loss of learning due to “COVID, Title IX issues, a school back packs controversy” and many other unforeseen problems.
“I’ve admired the way he’s handled it,” Waddell said. “One thing hits him in the face and then another. I’ve admired his leadership and courage.”
The public was not allowed to comment before the vote, which Waddell said was concerning.
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 12:43 PM.
