CHARLOTTE — Parents had the chance to provide their input regarding the next principal at Ardrey Kell High School.
And while some parents said they appreciate the district wanting feedback, they’re skeptical after the previous leader’s suspension turned into retirement.
District leaders hosted an input session for parents to provide feedback on what the profile of the new principal should look like. It lasted two hours.
The parents who attended told Channel 9 that the district wanted to divide parents into small groups and put them in classrooms. However, the parents objected and instead all packed into one room.
This comes after former principal Jamie Brooks’ still-unexplained suspension and retirement last month.
Parents say the district has not been transparent or communicative throughout this whole controversy.
“While we did go through it, and it was a lengthy process, we had a lot of parent input. Unfortunately, we still feel that at the end of the day, they were just checking the community engagement box,” said parent Kelly Ludwick.
“They do things, they don’t tell us in a timely fashion, and when we question them, they give us cookie answers; they copy and paste the same emails, and it’s been years of built-up distrust,” said parent Sarah Dorsey.
It’s not just unexplained leadership changes that parents say have caused that serious lack of trust in district officials and school board members.
They feel like CMS largely ignored their concerns when school boundary lines were changed back in 2023.
VIDEO: Teachers protest, parents petition after Ardrey Kell principal retires amid suspension
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