Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board Chair Stephanie Sneed has formally accused three fellow board members of bullying, discrimination and retaliation. The allegations land as the district loses its deputy superintendent, chief financial officer and top human resources official.

Sneed sent the message to board members Saturday, Sept. 12, according to the Charlotte Observer. The communication put the board "on notice" and stated that Sneed reserves "all rights and remedies available" to her. The allegations target the same three members who filed a motion to remove her as chair: District 5 representative Cynthia Stone, at-large member Monty Witherspoon and at-large member Lenora Shipp.

The board will take up the removal question at its Tuesday, Sept. 22 meeting. Vice Chair Dee Rankin will preside over that discussion.

Five votes from the nine-member board are needed to remove Sneed. She appears to have the support to survive. Board member Shamaiye Haynes told WFAE that Sneed has the votes to remain chair. Rankin and board member Charlitta Hatch also told WFAE they support Sneed. Board member Liz Monterrey Duvall has not committed to a position. WFAE reported that Anna London did not respond to its request for comment.

Stone told WCCB on Tuesday, Sept. 15 that the board will present its "position" at the Sept. 22 meeting and make no further comment until then.

"For this to come up right now, this is not good for us as a board as a collective and not good for the district so I am disappointed," Rankin told WCNC on Friday, Sept. 11, when the removal motion first became public. "I really think this is disruptive and this is divisive."

Stone, Witherspoon and Shipp said in a joint statement Saturday, Sept. 12 that the decision was not made lightly and that they believe a leadership change serves the best interests of the board, the district and the community, according to QC News.

The leadership fight comes as CMS confirmed Thursday, Sept. 10 that three senior administrators are leaving. Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight and Chief Financial Officer Kelly Kluttz said they are retiring effective Jan. 1, 2027. Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Wood resigned, with her last day Monday, Sept. 14.

WBTV reported the reasons for their departures were not immediately clear. No source has linked the exits to the board leadership dispute. Rankin told WBTV he was not concerned about the departures and expressed confidence in CMS leadership's ability to continue on the right path.

The leadership fight follows months of disruption at CMS. The board suspended Superintendent Crystal Hill on June 17 over allegations involving misuse of federal funds, a conflict of interest concerning vendor contracts and a hostile work environment, according to Hill.

The board voted Aug. 11 to reinstate her, days before the 2026-2027 school year began. The investigation cost taxpayers more than $379,000, the Charlotte Observer reported.

The board voted in late August to release a summary of the investigation findings by the end of September. Witherspoon, Shipp and Sneed all abstained from that vote. Witherspoon called the motion "performative," WFAE reported.

Sneed has served as chair since December 2023. CMS governs Ardrey Kell High School, Ballantyne Ridge High School and other schools serving Ballantyne families. The board has committed to releasing the Hill investigation summary by the end of September, and the Sept. 22 meeting is expected to address that release, according to WFAE.