Concerned families flocked a meeting of the school board of the Centennial School District, in Bucks County on Tuesday as the district may hire a former superintendent of the Central Bucks School District who left that job under controversial circumstances.
During a meeting held Tuesday in Warminster, the Centennial School Board fielded questions from an overflow audiance of parents of children in the district concerning a plan for the district to hire Dr. Abram Lucabaugh, a prior superintendent of the Central Bucks School District who faced lawsuits over policies concerning LGBTQ students.
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WATCH HERELucabaugh resigned from the district as Democratic members took control of the school board for the Central Bucks School District -- but not before he received a $712,000 severance package from the outgoing Republican led school board.
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SIGN UP Asked if she believes if Lucabaugh would be inclusive to all students, if he were hired by the district -- as, for example, the Central Bucks School District faced complaints from the ACLU over its treatment of transgender students under Lucabaugh's leadership -- Mary Alice Brancato, the Centennial School Board president told NBC10's Aaron Baskerville that she believed he would.
"Absolutely, I do. I have gay people in my own family. You really think I would let somebody do that?" she asked.
Yet, parents and educators in the district were concerned.
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"This district to date has been very supportive and inclusive to all children. I’m really scratching my head as to what has changed," said Nicole Lynch, a parent in the district.
Some, who once worked with him, told NBC10 that they are upset with the potential hire of new superintendent candidate Lucabaugh and said he has a history of reckless spending, discrimination, and censorship.
“Mr. Lucabaugh’s treatment of LGBTQ students is disgusting," one speaker told the crowd during Tuesday's meeting.
Others expressed concern that the district's board was moving to hire Lucabaugh without providing families with a chance to provide input on the decision.
However, in a statement posted online, Lucabaugh addressed concerns, saying he wanted families to know schools are places of "safety, support and growth."
"We have important work ahead of us," wrote Lucabaugh. "I want our families to know our schools are places of safety, support, and growth, and that their children are leaving our schools ready to make a difference in a world that needs them.”
Members of the school board said that no final hiring decision has yet been made. A vote on the move will be held on May 27, 2025.
