1/3 BREAKING: On Sept. 16, CMS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill sent an email to board members titled “Board of Education Contracts and Governance Concerns”. There are two parts to the email first obtained by @107.9 FM WBT, Charlotte's News Talk:    -In the body of the email, she lays out her job requirements and essentially says she’s ready, willing and able to talk to the members collectively or individually about topics.    -A 224 page pdf file was attached explaining everything she knows about the current situation involving Board Chair Stephanie Sneed, Raki McGregor, the law firm Poyner Spruill. The first 14 pages are a layout of a very specific timeline of everything involving CMS, the CMS Board, Poyner Spruill, and all of McGregor’s dealings with the previous mentioned parties.    Here are some of the highlights of the timeline, which starts on Sept. 1, 2024:   May/June 2025: I met with Mr. McGregor and, later, the cabinet team to remind everyone that certain political activities must be avoided when they are connected to professional obligations for CMS. In multiple separate conversations, I asked Mr. McGregor not to draw me into political conversations and not to give anyone the impression that I support a particular candidate or candidates. My reminders regarding political activities were consistent with Board Policy Code P-POLI.   June 2025: I became concerned that Mr. McGregor was looking to take advantage of his role as Executive in Residence, his proximity to sitting members of the Board of Education, and his association with candidates running for seats on the Board of Education. Mr. McGregor was very upset with the three Board members who voted against the SYDKIMYL contract. I believe he wanted to help get candidates elected to the Board who would approve additional SYDKIMYL contracts. May/June 2025: I met with Mr. McGregor and, later, the cabinet team to remind everyone that certain political activities must be avoided when they are connected to professional obligations for CMS. In multiple separate conversations, I asked Mr. McGregor not to draw me into political conversations and not to give anyone the impression that I support a particular candidate or candidates. My reminders regarding political activities were consistent with Board Policy Code P-POLI.   June 2025: I became concerned that Mr. McGregor was looking to take advantage of his role as Executive in Residence, his proximity to sitting members of the Board of Education, and his association with candidates running for seats on the Board of Education. Mr. McGregor was very upset with the three Board members who voted against the SYDKIMYL contract. I believe he wanted to help get candidates elected to the Board who would approve additional SYDKIMYL contracts. February 4, 2026: A Poyner Spruill billing entry on this date shows, “Office conference with Katie Cornetto and Brandon McPherson re potential hiring of consultant for the schools through Poyner Spruill and best means to do so.” I never initiated a conversation with Poyner Spruill about hiring a consultant for the schools and I do not know of any reason why this would be an appropriate task for Poyner Spruill to undertake. I have only recently received the billing statements for Poyner Spruill.   March 16, 2026: During the weekly Chair and Vice Chair meeting (“C/VC”), Chair Sneed directed me not to include approximately $4.5 Million for an additional teacher supplement for teachers with 15 to 25 years of experience in my budget recommendation. Chair Sneed indicated there was a better use of funds. VC Rankin asked what the Chair wanted to use the funding for, but she did not respond directly. Chair Sneed asked that we put the funds on “hold.” I explained I must present a balanced budget and I can’t put the money on hold, so I put the $4.5 Million toward the local funding of anticipated state raises.