Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board Vice Chair Liz Monterrey Duvall offered to step down from her leadership position this week after she said she received multiple threats, including death threats, following the board’s controversial firing of Superintendent Crystal Hill.
In an email to fellow board members obtained by WBT reporter Brett Jensen, Monterrey Duvall said the threats made her fear for her safety.
"I have to put myself and my family first," Monterrey Duvall wrote. "I cannot ask my family to carry the weight that has come with this position."
Monterrey Duvall agreed to remain vice chair through December after the board's newly elected chair, Gregory “Dee” Rankin, asked her to reconsider, according to the emails.
In a statement released by CMS on Friday, Monterrey Duvall confirmed the reversal, saying she had also spoken with her family and decided to stay in the leadership role "in the interest of helping the board rebuilding public trust."
"My family and I will be taking additional safety measures in light of this decision," she wrote. "My hope is that the menacing messages stop and that we can all get back to supporting our continued student growth without distraction.
Board faces intense backlash, possible investigation
Monterrey Duvall was elevated to vice chair Tuesday after former Chair Stephanie Sneed stepped aside and Rankin moved from vice chair to chair. The shakeup came the same night the board unexpectedly voted 5-4 to fire Hill. Monterrey Duvall was among the five.
The vote has generated significant backlash from some parents, community members and elected officials. An online petition launched after the meeting calls for the five board members who voted to fire Hill to resign, accusing them of failing to explain the decision adequately.
The upheaval comes amid broader turmoil at CMS. The district attorney has requested a state investigation into alleged "financial irregularities" at the district, and the state auditor is conducting a separate review. Four of the district's nine cabinet members have also announced plans to leave in the coming months.
