They Signed It. Now They Need to Honor It.

By MoCo's Voice | April 1, 2026*

There is a document that changes everything.

It is not a rumor. It is not a social media post. It is not hearsay passed down through the halls of Montgomery County Schools. It is a legally binding contract, seven pages, notarized, signed by every single member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, that spells out exactly what Dr. Karen Roseboro was promised, exactly what authority she was given, and exactly what rights she holds.

As the community watches the Board's next moves, this contract deserves to be public knowledge. Because if the Board ever attempts to undermine, remove, or force out Dr. Roseboro, the evidence will show whether they honored the agreement they made - or broke it.

A Four-Year Promise — Made in May 2025

Less than one year ago, on May 5 and 6, 2025, the Montgomery County Board of Education sat down and signed their names to a Contract of Employment for Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools. The contract is clear in its opening paragraph:

"The said Board does hereby employ the said as Superintendent for a four-year period as required by North Carolina General Statutes 115C-271, period of time commencing July 1, 2025, and running through June 30, 2029."

Four years. July 2025 through June 2029. That was the commitment.

The signatures on that contract belong to: Anne Evans (Chairman), Lynn Epps, Tommy Blake, Bryan Dozier, Angela Smith, Cindy Taylor, and Isai Robledo. Every one of them put their name on it. Every one of them agreed to its terms.

Now, less than twelve months into that four-year commitment, questions are swirling about Dr. Roseboro's future. The contract, the document they signed, tells a story the community needs to hear.

WHAT THE CONTRACT SAYS THE BOARD MUST NOT DO

Here is something the public deserves to know. The contract does not just define what Dr. Roseboro must do. It defines what the Board must not do. And Section 13 is unambiguous:

"It is detrimental to the interests of the school system for individual Board members to direct or attempt to direct the daily administrative operations of the school system."

Read that again. The Board itself agreed, in writing, that individual members inserting themselves into the day-to-day running of the schools is detrimental to the school system.

If any Board member has been calling principals, directing staff, overriding administrative decisions, or attempting to manage the school system from their board seat, they are not just overstepping. They are in breach of the contract they signed.

CONCERNS MUST GO TO DR. ROSEBORO FIRST — NOT TO THE PUBLIC

Section 13 continues with a provision that should stop every gossip, every anonymous complaint, and every backroom conversation in its tracks:

"If the Board, or any of its members, should ever have a serious concern about the Superintendent, the Board will collectively bring its concern to the Superintendent before sharing it with anyone outside of the Board (or its counsel)."

This is not a suggestion. This is a contractual obligation.

If concerns about Dr. Roseboro's leadership have been shared with staff members, community figures, or the general public before being formally brought to her, the Board violated this provision the moment those words left their mouths. The contract required them to go to her first. Privately. Collectively. With transparency.

The community deserves to know: Has the Board honored this provision?

SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO RUN HER SCHOOLS — INCLUDING HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE

One of the most powerful provisions in the contract is Section 6, and it deserves to be read in full:

"The Superintendent shall have complete freedom to organize, reorganize, and arrange the administrative and supervisory staff, including instructional and business affairs, which in her judgment best serves the Montgomery County Public School System. The responsibility for selection, placement, and transfer of all personnel shall be vested in the Superintendent subject to approval by the Board."

Complete freedom. Those are the words the Board agreed to.

Dr. Roseboro was hired to turn around a failing school system. Turning around a failing school system requires making hard decisions — including holding staff accountable for performance and growth. Some people do not like being held accountable. Some people preferred the comfort of a system where low expectations went unchallenged.

Let's be direct: Some staff are leaving because they are being held to a growth standard.** That is not a scandal. That is exactly what a superintendent hired to improve a struggling district is supposed to do. The contract gave her the authority to do it. And if the Board ever attempts to punish her for exercising that authority, they would be in direct violation of Section 6.**

SHE HAS DUE PROCESS RIGHTS — AND THE BOARD MUST HONOR THEM

This may be the most legally significant provision in the entire document. Section 16, continued on page 5, states:

"The Superintendent shall have the right to written dismissal charges and grounds for such charges, fair notice of hearing, and a fair hearing before the Board… The Superintendent shall have the right to be present, to be represented by counsel, to confront and cross-examine, and to present through witnesses any testimony relevant to the issue."

Written charges. Fair notice. Legal representation. The right to confront her accusers.

These are not just contractual rights; they mirror the due process protections guaranteed under North Carolina law and the United States Constitution. If the Board ever moves against Dr. Roseboro without providing written charges, without proper notice, and without a fair hearing, they would not just be breaking a contract. They would be violating her constitutional rights.

SHE IS ENTITLED TO A FORMAL EVALUATION — HAS SHE RECEIVED ONE?

Section 13 of the contract requires:

"The Superintendent will receive a formal, written evaluation by June 30 of each year."

Dr. Roseboro's contract began July 1, 2025. The first evaluation is due by June 30, 2026.

Here is the question that demands a public answer: Has Dr. Roseboro received a formal, written evaluation from this Board? If the Board were to move against her before providing that evaluation, they would be denying her the very feedback mechanism the contract requires, while simultaneously using her performance as justification for their actions.

That would not be accountability. That would be a setup.

THE PRICE TAG: What Breaking This Contract Would Cost Taxpayers

If the Board chooses to remove Dr. Roseboro without cause, Section 17 of the contract makes the financial consequences crystal clear:

"The Board may, at its option, unilaterally terminate this contract. The Board shall pay to the Superintendent, as severance pay, Forty Percent (40%) of the balance of the salary she would have earned under this Contract."

Dr. Roseboro's total annual salary is $150,000. Her contract runs through June 30, 2029 — more than three years remaining. Forty percent of the remaining balance represents a potential six-figure payout of taxpayer money — paid not because Dr. Roseboro failed, but because the Board could not honor the agreement they made.

And Section 16 goes further:

"Failure of the Board to fulfill its obligations hereunder shall constitute a breach of contract for which the Superintendent may seek appropriate relief in law and equity."

Dr. Roseboro would have the legal right to sue. Montgomery County taxpayers could be on the hook for damages, legal fees, and a severance payout, all because a school board could not keep its word.

The Signatures Don't Lie

Page 6 of this contract shows the signatures of every board member, in their own handwriting, under seal, before a notary public. This was not a casual agreement. This was a solemn, legal commitment made on behalf of the people of Montgomery County.

Anne Evans signed it. Lynn Epps signed it. Tommy Blake signed it. Bryan Dozier signed it. Angela Smith signed it. Cindy Taylor signed it. Isai Robledo signed it.

They knew what they were agreeing to. They knew the terms. They knew the protections. They knew the consequences of breach.

Now the community is watching to see whether their signatures meant anything at all.

What You Can Do Right Now

Montgomery County Schools has been a failing school system. Change is required for growth. Dr. Roseboro was hired to be that change — and the Board agreed, in writing, to give her the authority and the time to do it.

The negative voices are loud. We need to be louder.

Do not allow the voices of a few, those who resist accountability, who prefer comfort over growth, who would rather protect the status quo than protect our children, to silence the leader this community needs.

Write your letter to the Board today. It takes 2 minutes. A template is ready for you.

👉 mocovoice.com/take-action

Send your letter directly to all six Board members:

• Lynn Epps, Chair — [email protected]
• Anne Evans, Vice Chair — [email protected]
• Tommy Blake — [email protected]
• Bryan Dozier — [email protected]
• Angela Smith — [email protected]
• Cindy Taylor — [email protected]

Goal: 1,000 letters. The light shines in the darkness — and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5)

MoCo's Voice is a community publication committed to speaking truth, demanding accountability, and amplifying the voices of Montgomery County residents. This article is based on the signed Contract of Employment for Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, executed May 5–6, 2025. It is intended for public education and advocacy purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

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