York County charter school leader arrested in NC on embezzlement charges
A headmaster whose appointment helped fuel a parent revolt at a York County charter school last year has been arrested on felony embezzlement and elder exploitation charges, according to the school.
Read more Fort Mill will get a new soul food restaurant this fall. Here’s what to expect
Jennifer Mognett, the former acting headmaster of Carolina Classical Academy, was arrested Tuesday in Mecklenburg County on charges of felony embezzlement and felony exploitation of an elderly person, the school’s board of directors said in a statement. The board said the charges stem from Mognett’s time working at the school, formerly known as Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill.
The school said it discovered an unauthorized charge on Mognett’s employee credit card during a monthly financial review in June. The matter was immediately reported to law enforcement, according to the statement. The board did not say how much money Mognett is accused of taking, what the unauthorized purchase was or how the elder exploitation charge is connected to her work at the school.
Carolina Classical Academy said it cooperated with the investigation and thanked the Rock Hill and Huntersville police departments for their work on the case.
“Following this incident, the school conducted a comprehensive review of its administrative processes and enhanced its internal financial controls to further safeguard school assets,” the board said.
The school also said it has hired new leadership.
The charges come less than a year after Mognett’s appointment became one of several flashpoints in a dispute between parents and the school’s former leadership. In October 2025, dozens of parents staged a walkout after then-Headmaster Ryan Mullins and a kindergarten teacher were abruptly fired during fall break. Families told The Charlotte Observer at the time that months of staff turnover, large class sizes and limited communication had already eroded their trust in the school’s leadership.
Mognett became interim head of school after Mullins’ dismissal.
Her appointment alarmed some parents because Mognett was previously referenced over 50 times in a federal lawsuit involving Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy, another charter school in Huntersville where she had served as director.
Read more Frozen fruit bars sold at NC stores may contain glass, prompting massive recall
Mognett was not a defendant in that lawsuit. The complaint accused the school and its management company of racial discrimination, failing to protect students and retaliating against teachers who raised concerns. It described Mognett as a “key figure” in some of the events alleged in the suit.
At the time, Ascent Classical Academies Executive Director Derec Shuler told the Observer that the organization had reviewed the lawsuit before hiring Mognett.
“As part of (Mognett’s) initial hiring and vetting, Ascent Classical conducted due diligence into the civil suit against her previous school,” Shuler said then. “Since she is not a party to that lawsuit, she is unable to file a response to the sections of the suit that mention her, but she vigorously denies the claims.”
The Carolina Classical Academy board said Wednesday that it would not answer further questions about Mognett’s charges because the case remains active.
This developing story will be updated.
This story was originally published August 19, 2026 at 4:32 PM with the headline “York County charter school leader arrested in NC on embezzlement charges.”
Read more What’s happening in Charlotte food? A new LoSo restaurant + more chicken fingers
