Stephen Esposito, the 46-year-old chief of strategic communications and engagement for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools superintendent cabinet, was arrested for driving while impaired on Thursday and booked into the Mecklenburg County Detention Center. Officials said he had a 0.11% blood alcohol level; his bond was $2,500.
The arrest, reported by Queen City News, lands in the middle of a turbulent stretch for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which is undergoing major leadership changes at nearly every senior level. Under North Carolina law, a person commits impaired driving when they operate a vehicle on a highway, street, or public vehicular area while impaired, according to North Carolina General Statute 20-138.1. Queen City News requested comment from CMS on the arrest.
A District Already in Upheaval
Esposito's arrest comes just two days after the CMS Board of Education voted 5-4 to terminate Superintendent Dr. Crystal Hill “for convenience” on Tuesday, according to WBTV. In the same meeting, Dr. Melissa Balknight was named acting superintendent, a role she began this week even as she has also announced plans to retire effective January 1, 2027.
Stephanie Sneed stepped down as chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education around the same time, though she retained her seat on the board, the outlet reported. The moves cap months of turmoil that began well before this week's vote, and multiple other high-ranking district officials have announced retirements in recent days, per the same account.
Costly Investigation Preceded the Firing
Records showed nearly $380,000 was spent investigating Hill while she was on leave, the station reported, and the school board had reinstated her on August 12, according to WFAE. That investigation cost more than $379,000, per WFAE's review.
Despite the cost of the inquiry, Hill is entitled to receive one year's severance under her contract, the WBTV report noted. She had been selected as CMS superintendent in July 2023 by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, according to the district's own official superintendent biography, which credits her tenure with a comprehensive organizational restructuring of the district.
Executives Heading for the Exits
The chaos atop CMS didn't start this week. Three top executives announced in mid-September that they were stepping down, including Deputy Superintendent Balknight and Chief Financial Officer Kelly Kluttz, who both said they plan to retire on January 1, 2027. Chief Human Resource Officer Angela Wood resigned around the same time, with her last day set for September 14.
Balknight, Kluttz, and Wood are among CMS leaders stepping down, the station noted, as the district works through the broader shake-up.
