CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education fired Superintendent Earnest Winston, the board announced during a special meeting Tuesday. 

Winston was hired as superintendent in 2019, and his contract was extended in February of 2021 until June 30, 2025. Winston will receive a severance package, which includes about $576,000 over two years. The board used the "termination of convenience clause" in the contract, which allows Winston to receive the severance package.

"We did not arrive there easily. It was a difficult decision to end the contract with an individual whom we hold in such high regard," school board Chair Elyse Dashew said in a statement Tuesday. "However, we believe that a different leader is needed to shore up this district and place our students on track to achieve high goals in literacy, math, and career and college readiness."

Hugh Hattabaugh, who previously served as CMS interim superintendent in 2011-2012, was again named interim superintendent during Tuesday’s emergency meeting.

“Hattabaugh brings outstanding experience and knowledge to the role,” the CMS board said in a letter.  

The letter stated that Winston’s departure from CMS is "effective immediately.”

“Hugh is the right person to lead CMS at this time as we conduct a thorough, nationwide search for a new superintendent,” Board Chair Elyse Dashew said.

The board named Scott McCully, current chief compliance officer, acting superintendent. McCully will serve in the role until Hattabaugh steps into his position.

Winston issued a message following his termination, saluting the work of teachers and highlighting the challenge of leading an organization responsible for educating children during the pandemic.

"No other time in modern public education history have leaders been required to navigate a convergence of factors of such significance," Winston said.

"It has been my honor to lead Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) the past two and a half years," Winston said in the message. "I end my service as superintendent the way I began it—centering student needs. I will continue to be an advocate for young people, an active and engaged parent in CMS and a staunch supporter of public education."

Tuesday's meeting came after several news outlets reported Winston has been told to resign or be terminated.

In February 2021, the Board of Education revised Winston’s contract to extend it from June 30, 2022 to June 30, 2025.

The new contract also increased his base salary to $288,400 per year, gave him an additional 10 days of leave and modified the provisions for what would happen if the school board decided to fire him.

The change removed the 60-day notice requirement and added severance pay of more than $576,000, or pay for the remaining time on his contract, whichever is less.

The CMS school board in recent months has been critical of test scores across the district, student performance under Winston’s tenure, school safety and allegations of sexual assaults on school grounds.

Some parents say Winston was never qualified to be the superintendent in the first place.

“Failure after failure. Failing young girls, failing our Black students, failing our economic return on our investment,” said Colette Forrest, mother of a CMS student. “Earnest Winston should have never been the superintendent, but the responsibility of that choice rests on the lack of leadership that we have with the CMS school board.”

Winston is the fifth superintendent for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district in the last decade.

"COVID-19 has forced us to prioritize what is most important. Grades, test results, and academic performance is a one-dimensional view of what it means to educate children who have survived a pandemic in the 21st century. Our children’s mental health and well-being should be the priority," Winston said Tuesday. "Only when we can reach them, can we teach them."