Hello everyone,
The first real piece of accountability has occurred in this case since I came forward coming up on a year ago. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Earnest Winston has been fired! In the report released after his firing, his response to Title IX was listed multiple times as a contributing factor.
Winston has stood by and made empty promises to students and survivors alike. He promised an increase to the Title IX office which has not been implemented. He also never implemented a single change asked for by the Title IX Task Force he formed despite their report being completed in December. In short, he made no meaningful changes nor movement toward change for survivors' rights.
However, we can't let Winston become a scapegoat. 6 of the 9 CMS Board of Education members are up for reelection in 2022. This was likely a strategic move to shift the blame of Title IX noncompliance, assaults on school campuses, an increase in guns, and growing educational inequality onto the ex-Superintendent and off of themselves. We must not let the board shirk the responsibility they have in the mishandling of these cases.
The removal of ex-Superintendent Winston makes no difference if the board members and Interim Superintendent continue to fall flat on their promises. Now is not the time to ease up on our calls for change. Now is the time to make ourselves heard and demand that real, actionable change be made.
Thank you for your support,
Nikki Wombwell