Then and now: What CMS board, others said when Earnest Winston was hired, now fired
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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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What did Earnest Winston, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education members, parents and others say when the board hired Winston as superintendent in August 2019?
How did they react when the board voted 7-2 on Tuesday to fire him?
Here’s a sampling of who said what.
What they said on Aug. 2, 2019
Here were some of the comments when the board voted unanimously on Aug. 2, 2019, to hire Winston as CMS’ second Black superintendent, after James Pughsley, who served from 2002 to 2005.
Earnest Winston: “Our board has spoken loudly and clearly with the unanimous vote. That vote of confidence means the world to me, and what I would say is that I bring 15 years of experience in our school district beginning as a classroom teacher, which I am extremely proud of, and have the experience of being a (CMS) parent.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to build tremendous partnerships outside our district with some of our key partners. I believe that having stability during this key time of leadership transition is extremely important, someone who has the experience in the inner workings of this school district.”
Board Chair Mary McCray: In brief remarks to reporters after the vote, she said the board sought stability and continuity in hiring the 15-year CMS veteran, but didn’t consider other internal candidates. “The reason we are looking internally is that lots of times when you go outside and look externally, superintendents have a tendency to bring something in differently,” McCray said.
“And we feel like we’re on a great course and we want to stay that course,” she said. “We’re all on board with this, and that’s why right now, externally, we’re putting the brakes on and looking at how we can move forward with the initiatives we already have in place.”
The CMS board: In a statement, the board cited Winston’s “strong experience, steady dependability, constant commitment to all children, deep belief in collaboration and a leadership style that puts listening first.” It added: “We believe this decision reflects the community’s desire for stability, for calm guidance and clear focus on what matters most – our students and their teaching and learning.”
Amanda Thompson, a 17-year CMS teacher at the time who served on the superintendent’s advisory council: She said she found Winston to be helpful and supportive in her interactions with him.
“It just goes to show that anybody can be anything, because he didn’t go the traditional superintendent route,” she said. “His experience and perspective will make up for that.”
Tom Blomquist, past board member of Mountain Island Charter School: The CMS board made a bad and inexplicable mistake, he said. “The school board doesn’t know what it’s doing to give a guy a raise and then you fire them,” he said, referring to previous Superintendent Clayton Wilcox.
Of Winston, he added: “If you don’t have the experience or knowledge of (being superintendent), you’re walking into this ... naked. He’s never even been principal of a grade school. Nothing against him, but the school board is showing it doesn’t know what the heck it’s doing.”
School board member Ruby Jones: Winston was the person with all the answers when she first joined the board, she said. She praised his ability to handle highly sensitive student and family issues with care.
“The stories go on and on,” Jones said. “He has the full trust of the board.”
Dee Rankin, a Black CMS parent active in education issues: Winston will benefit from his more than 10 years in the CMS central office, Rankin predicated. And having a Black superintendent as the district grapples with equity issues also is important, he said.
“When you have (Black) leadership roles with the system being made up of majority-minority students, it gives them a good perspective to have leadership like that, that looks like students do,” Rankin said.
Ross Danis, president of MeckEd, a nonprofit group that advocates for equal educational opportunity: Nontraditional superintendents elsewhere included a retired Army general in Washington state and a former governor in Los Angeles, he said. Each time CMS hires a new superintendent from outside, he said, the district loses months of momentum while they get acclimated.
“CMS needs stability and continuity, and we think this decision makes that possible,” Danis said. “(Winston) might not have a traditional background, but he’s been in the district long enough to see through a strategic plan that’s already been developed.”
Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte NAACP: “I’m hoping that he’s going to be more aggressive than (the district) in the past. That he’s aggressive about safeguarding our children and ensuring we don’t have re-segregation, that our children are getting textbooks and not just white children.”
From Tuesday, when Winston was fired
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.
Earnest Winston: “Leading an organization responsible for educating children through the pandemic has been the ultimate challenge, and one from which I have never fled. No other time in modern public education history have leaders been required to navigate a convergence of factors of such significance.”
Rhonda Cheek, who made the motion to fire Winston: “We hired a good man and have supported his leadership journey in many ways for the past 2 1/12 years. But now we must move forward on a different path. As we have heard many times in the last year, student outcomes cannot change until adult behavior changes. I thank Mr. Winston for his service and wish him the best in future endeavors.”
Chairperson Elyse Dashew: “It’s agonizing because I have so much respect for him. At this point in time, what this district needs is a different leader with a different skill set.
“He navigated us through the pandemic safely,” Dashew said. “He never gave up, even when veteran superintendents were throwing in the towel. I have nothing but admiration for how he guided us through.
“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.”
Carol Sawyer: “I approach this decision with a heavy heart, but my respect for Earnest Winston does not preclude me from reaching a decision that new leadership is required.”
Margaret Marshall: “I can have deep respect and gratitude toward Earnest Winston and, at the same time, know that we need new leadership to move us in the direction of meeting the needs and aspirations of our students.”
Sean Strain: At the board’s April 30, 2021, retreat, Winston said he wanted his legacy to be eliminating the achievement and opportunity gap among all subgroups of students, according to Strain. “Unfortunately, that’s not where we are,” Strain said. “Where we are is that gap has widened.”
“We also have a growing list of federal and state compliance issues,” Strain said.
Lenora Shipp: “I have seen now over the months that much confidence has been lost in the leadership from the top down. For me, this is not just about Black or white, it is about doing what is right for all of our children in CMS. As a former principal and teacher, I know this is a difficult time ... but we can’t go backwards, we can’t stand still, we must move forward.”
Jennifer De La Jara: The decision to fire Winston “is painfully difficult because all of us on the board recognize what a principled, ethical, kind and loyal person Mr. Winston is,” she said. “He cares about our kids. All of them.”
But “the facts will speak for themselves,” she said.
Vice-chairperson Thelma Byers-Bailey: “This is a sad day for me. I have been a supporter of Winston from the beginning. Earnest gave us his best, and I don’t believe this decision serves him in his best interest.”
Ruby Jones: “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.”
Charlotte resident Darice Elam, who has a granddaughter in CMS: “He is a scapegoat,” Elam said of Winston. “They approved every plan he put in place.”
Providence High parent Lisa O’Bryan: She said it was unfortunate Winston inherited a failing school district.
“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,” she said.
State Sen. Joyce Waddell, 30-year North Carolina educator, including 20 in CMS: Winston faced more adversity than any other CMS superintendent, from loss of learning due to COVID-19, as well as from Title IX issues, a school back packs controversy and many other unforeseen problems, Waddell said. “I’ve admired the way he’s handled it,” she said. “One thing hits him in the face and then another. I’ve admired his leadership and courage.”
This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 10:14 AM.
