Three Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board members said they did not know that former board chair Stephanie Sneed had allegedly directed then-Superintendent Crystal Hill to keep raises for veteran teachers out of her budget until they received a memo from Hill in September. The raises at issue were worth $4.5 million. The account of Sneed’s direction came from Hill’s memo; the available information does not include a response from Sneed or explain what ultimately happened to the proposed raises. The board members’ statements raise questions about how the decision was communicated to the elected body responsible for overseeing the district’s budget. Any change to veteran teachers’ compensation could affect educators and the district’s ability to retain experienced staff.