Charlotte Catholic High’s ‘detrimental’ changes cause rift between parents, school
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Charlotte Catholic
Charlotte Catholic, a private high school, is under controversy over accreditation, parents concerns and resignations.
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Tensions reached a new peak and Charlotte Catholic High School’s principal resigned Tuesday after suggesting last week parents were part of a “culture problem.”
Several parents who spoke to The Charlotte Observer expressed concern over what they say is a lack of transparency and accountability in the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools system. They also say that leadership is alienating teachers, ignoring calls for dual accreditation and pushing a more hard-line version of Catholicism.
One parent, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, described the changes as segregating middle school classes according to sex, nixing ninth grade ancient history in favor of a required philosophy class and a growing culture of hostility toward teachers by administration. She called the changes “indoctrination-y” and said they’re causing families and educators to leave.
A group of parents also penned a petition with 265 signatures as of Monday afternoon, issuing a “vote of no confidence,” in CCHS Principal Lori Phillips and Superintendent Greg Monroe. Phillips announced her resignation Tuesday afternoon in a letter to parents following publication of this story.
The school previously apologized for its lack of communication regarding school accreditation and said it is “committed to doing better in our communication as we continue to partner with (parents) to provide the best possible academic and faith-filled Catholic education.”
Others said they were happy with their children’s education and trusted eadership to make the right decisions at the private Catholic high school in south Charlotte, which has an enrollment of about 1,250. There are 5,700 students enrolled across all nine Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools.
“I know that these are good people making decisions on behalf of the kids and they’re not going to undermine the success of their own students,” said Carmelina Brockmann, the parent to a CCHS sophomore. “And I know there are many people who are like me, even if we’re not the squeaky wheel.”
Both sides assert the majority of parents in the system fall in their camp.
Parents do agree on one thing – they feel a schism within their once tight-knit community.
Principal Phillips video
In a video circulated online since being taken at a parent meeting Thursday, Principal Lori Phillips described parents as part of the problem.
A parent told Phillips teachers at the school do not feel supported after several teachers and a head counselor left the school over winter break. Phillips became principal in August.
“You said you’re telling the teachers that they’re loved and appreciated, but they don’t feel that way,” the parent can be heard saying. “There’s a culture problem.”
“I agree with you. There is a culture problem,” Phillips said before smiling and gesturing out toward the crowd of parents. “There’s a culture problem right here.”
Attendees reacted with gasps and exclamations of “whoa!”
It’s not the first time Phillips saw opposition from parents during her short tenure at the school.
She sent out an apology letter Sept. 19 after female students alleged she warned them to stop rolling the waistbands of their uniform skirts, saying they would look “fat,” according to several parents who spoke to The Charlotte Observer.
“After dismissing the boys, I spoke to our female students about the policy regarding skirts. Unfortunately, I approached the important matter too casually and made inappropriate remarks during the discussion,” she wrote in the letter, which a parent provided to The Charlotte Observer. “I apologize for that and have learned from this moment, and going forward will be more thoughtful in my communications.”
Some parents said they’re concerned Phillips is part of the reason teachers left the school mid-year. They say teachers feel hostility from leadership and the school is becoming more conservative in its interpretation of Catholicism. Changes include: having mass once a week rather than once a month, tightening dress code restrictions and replacing the history class with a philosophy class.
“I think they’re trying to overcorrect with extreme conservatism,” one parent said, fearing it’s dividing the community while parents are in the dark. “This seems so detrimental to that strong sense of community.”
Parents also feared Phillips’ leadership style alienated teachers.
“The teachers are unhappy at CCHS,” one parent said. “This needs to be a place of joy, and if we’ve got teachers and students leaving mid-year, then we need to reevaluate.”
However, Mary Catherine Surface, a parent with multiple children in MACS, said she trusts leadership.
“Our faith is for every single day of the week, and it penetrates us through and through in all that we do,” she said.
MACS Superintendent Monroe announced Phillips’ resignation by saying it would allow the school to “move forward with a renewed focus on teaching and learning.”
“For the sake of the school, I believe it is best for me to step down from Charlotte Catholic so that everyone can refocus on what matters most – our students,” Phillips said in the letter. “I want to thank those of you who have supported me as principal. I believe in Charlotte Catholic and its mission of providing an extraordinary, faith-filled education with endless opportunities in partnership with parents. I am grateful to have had this opportunity and learning experience, and I wish the best for all of you.”
Phillips’ last day is Friday. Charlotte Catholic President Kurt Telford will serve as head of school going forward, handling both principal and president duties for the remainder of this school year and the 2025-26 school year, Monroe wrote.
The school will begin a national search for new leadership by summer 2026.
Charlotte Catholic accreditation
In July, the school system switched its accreditation from Cognia, a nonreligious school accrediting agency operating for nearly 130 years, to Lumen, a Catholic-based school accreditation developed by the Institute for Transformation of Catholic Education through the Catholic University of America. However, it didn’t notify all parents until last month.
Catholic school leaders made the decision “in search of an accreditation process that more seamlessly integrates the evaluation of our academic programs and our religious training and character formation,” according to an FAQ on Charlotte Catholic’s website.
“Lumen’s evaluation integrates faith, Catholic culture and character-related questions and observations in all of the domains it evaluates,” the website states. “Cognia offers an academic evaluation and a separate evaluation of Catholicity.”
The Lumen accreditation is still relatively new, having launched in February 2023. Some parents are concerned the new accreditation won’t carry weight with prestigious colleges – especially non-Catholic ones – and potentially jeopardize their children’s shot at getting into some schools.
Another parent who requested to remain anonymous due to fears about retaliation said she and others struggled to understand the school’s reasoning for withdrawing from Cognia accreditation after over 50 years.
“That lack of transparency and basically pulling the schools outside the realm of a well-known and respected accreditor was shocking for parents,” she said.
Concerned parents penned a letter to Bishop Michael Martin Jan. 16, which was given to the Observer.
“This transpired without any awareness of the parents who dutifully pay tuition with the understanding that their children are attending a school that is fully accredited by the gold standard – Cognia,” it read. “It is unclear how this change will impact students’ college applications, their subsequent acceptance to competitive colleges and the curriculum at Charlotte Catholic as a whole.”
After the switch, parents called for dual accreditation with both Lumen and Cognia in order to collect more data about how Lumen affects students’ college admissions. A petition calling for that along with increased staff stability and retention measures has gathered 1,973 signatures since its creation in January.
Statement during Sunday mass
Father John Allen, acting pastor for the largest Catholic congregation in the city, St. Matthew Catholic Church, said Sunday he’d received “dozens” of messages from concerned parents and teachers over the last month.
“I have respectfully asked (the Catholic Schools Office) on multiple occasions that dual accreditation for Charlotte Catholic be pursued and that a school board composed of parents, teachers and clergy be established immediately for Charlotte Catholic,” he said in a video of his statement during Sunday mass that’s now posted on YouTube.
The school has issued an apology for its “lack of communication” with parents about the change, but Superintendent Monroe said dual accreditation is not an option he’s pursuing and that he had full faith in Lumen.
“That decision has already been made,” he told the Observer. “That would be a redundant process, and we don’t want to waste resources or time. We already have such confidence in Lumen even though it is a new process.”
Brockmann, a parent, said she’s not concerned about the accreditation.
“Colleges are looking at the whole student and how they’re performing academically,” she said. “I think it is an improvement because I think it’s more compatible with Catholicism.”
Surface, who has multiple children in MACS, agrees.
“My child’s elementary school teacher actually let us know in the fall, so I knew this was coming, but I have full confidence in our administration,” she said. “Lumen incorporates our Catholic faith into every aspect, which as Catholics, is what we’re called to do.”
Some parents raised concerns about a conflict of interest, highlighting that Monroe previously served on the board of ITCE at Catholic University of America – where Lumen was developed. Monroe is credited as a contributor to Encompass, a guide for schools who use the Lumen accreditation.
However, Monroe says he did not receive any payment for his work on the board or have part in developing the accreditation.
Regardless of which side of the rift they fall on, parents the Observer talked to worried for the fate of the strong sense of community they say the school has always fostered.
“I hope soon we can come to a time of healing and peace and unity for our Catholic community,” Surface said. “It breaks my heart to see this division.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 11:24 AM.
