A Philadelphia-area superintendent has resigned following the success of Democrats in the recent school board elections. However, controversy has arisen as the outgoing GOP-led board has awarded him a generous severance package worth $712,000. Abram Lucabaugh, who had recently signed a 5-year contract, abruptly quit and received the substantial payment.
Parents in a Philadelphia suburb are expressing their discontent after the GOP-led board granted the district’s superintendent a substantial severance package on their way out, following the victory of Democratic candidates in the school board elections. According to the Bucks County Herald, Abram Lucabaugh, the superintendent of the Central Bucks School District, suddenly resigned just days after the Democrats’ election victory.
The County Herald reported that Lucabaugh had recently signed a new 5-year contract in July. At a crowded school board meeting on Tuesday, angry residents protested as the Republican board members approved the severance package, which includes an additional $39,000 in taxes that taxpayers will have to cover, as reported by the Bucks County Courier Times. The severance deal also includes legal protection for Lucabaugh, shielding him from potential lawsuits, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The meeting agenda item states that the severance is “in accordance with” the terms outlined in his new contract.
Board President Dana Hunter, who lost her reelection bid and will soon be leaving the board, supported the deal, arguing that it would cost less than if the incoming Democratic board were to fire Lucabaugh and appoint their own superintendent, the Courier Times reported. Hunter also expressed her deep respect for Lucabaugh’s work in the district.
Lucabaugh had previously supported Republican policies that targeted LGBTQ issues in the district, such as the banning of Pride flags and “sexualized content” in school libraries, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The current Democratic board members strongly criticized the severance deal, with one member suggesting that it may be illegal.
“This is a complete violation of our fiduciary responsibility,” said Miriam Mahmud, a board member who voted against the deal, according to the Courier Times. “This has never been about education. This has never been about the kids. It’s unfair to all the taxpayers. It’s completely wrong.” Residents, who were only given 24-hour notice of the deal, expressed their outrage by shouting at the board members, accusing them of corruption.
During the heated meeting, Hunter repeatedly called for order and threatened to remove people from the room, as reported by the Courier Times. “What is wrong with you?” she exclaimed. “I’ve never been in a room with such rude people in my life. Do we need to clear the room?”
Lucabaugh was not present at the meeting, which concluded shortly after the board approved his severance deal. In addition to the severance package, the GOP-led board also voted to ban transgender students from participating in school sports, as reported by the Inquirer. However, a Democrat on the board indicated that this policy would soon be reviewed and revised.
Overall, the controversy surrounding Lucabaugh’s resignation and the substantial severance package has sparked outrage among parents and community members, with allegations of financial impropriety and a disregard for the educational well-being of the district’s children.
