Superintendent in spotlight as CMS board meets in closed session

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Members of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board held a five-hour meeting Friday morning in a special session, and Channel 9 has learned that Superintendent Dr. Clayton Wilcox was in the spotlight.

The CMS Board of Education called Friday’s meeting to hold a “superintendent evaluation.”

Channel 9 education reporter Elsa Gillis said the meeting started at 8 a.m. and immediately went into closed session to discuss “certain specific personnel matters.”

The board adjourned after 12 p.m. and did so without publicly addressing what went on behind the closed doors.

[CMS: District 'paused' fingerprinting new employees during background checks]

Evaluations are part of Wilcox’s contract, but the latest one was held just last month. It is unusual that another would be held so close to the previous one.

Board Chair Mary McCray did tell Channel 9 the meeting was a continuation of the June evaluation.

"This was just the second part of what we had done in the June meeting, and it was a good meeting, so therefore, if there was anything pertaining to any kind of personnel issue, we’re not at liberty to discuss that," said McCray.

Wilcox has been with CMS for two years. In those two years, he's overseen the introduction of some major student assignment changes, serious work on classroom equity and big security upgrades.

['It's a huge challenge': CMS announces new safety and security measures]

In recent weeks, security concerns have been raised over the screenings of new district employees.

Channel 9 first reported that when CMS hired a new background check contractor last summer, the contractor brought deeper screening procedures but stopped fingerprinting for nearly a year.

Fingerprinting is required by board policy and has since resumed.

It's unclear if the fingerprinting concerns had anything to do with Friday's meeting.

Channel 9 was at meeting all day and will continue to push CMS for answers. 

Cox Media Group