CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – One former Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member aired her thoughts after the district's superintendent was officially put on temporary leave on Wednesday, June 17.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) confirmed in a news release that Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill had been placed on temporary leave with pay, pending an investigating into matters that reportedly involved administrative and operational oversight.
District officials did not disclose exactly what those “matters†were.
Melissa Easley — who was voted off the school board in the November 2025 election — took to Facebook after the news broke.
In her 800-plus word social media post, Easley claimed she saw teacher voice diminished and a “culture of fear.â€
“Teachers stopped speaking up. Principals stopped speaking up. District leaders stopped speaking up,†Easley posted. “Not because they suddenly agreed with everything. Because they learned what happened when they didn't. Constructive disagreement was too often viewed as disloyalty. People who asked hard questions or challenged decisions frequently felt dismissed rather than heard.â€
Easley called the alleged “the slow erosion of teacher voice†among “the most frustrating things to watch.â€
“Teachers were asked for feedback, but too often it felt like the decisions had already been made before bringing teachers involves or things would [change] from what was [originally] told,†she wrote.
“Too often their voices mattered less than the voices being paid to give presentations and leave and then take the credit for ‘growth,'†Easley continued.
Easley cast doubt on Hill's ability to lead, and at one point in her post referred to the superintendent as a “bully.â€
A former teacher, Easley wrote toward the end of her post that it was students who suffered most from the issues she claimed.
“The tragedy is that the people who suffered most weren't the adults,†Easley said in her post. “It was our students. When teachers, principals, and district leaders are afraid to raise concerns, challenge decisions, or share hard truths, the entire system suffers.â€
Hill released her own statement
Around the same time Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools confirmed Hill was on leave, the superintendent put out her own statement.
“For the past three and a half years, I have dedicated my full attention, time, and effort to serving the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education and the students, staff, and community it represents,†she said. “It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve as Superintendent, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Board, our educators, staff, students, families, and community members in this important work.â€
Contrary to what Easley alleged, Hill claimed that CMS has seen improved teacher working conditions under her leadership.
Hill also claimed to have overseen historic academic gains, and touted increased pay for all employees, as well as the passage of a $2.5 billion bond and four fully-funded budgets.
“While I am saddened by the Board of Education's recent actions and the circumstances surrounding them, I remain committed to our community, our district, and our mission,†she said in her statement. “I will cooperate fully with any review and trust that the process will be conducted objectively and thoroughly.â€
CMS said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Melissa Balknight was asked to take on additional responsibilities during the investigation period.
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