Centennial Teacher Cited For Slapping Children Retires

WARMINSTER, PA —A Centennial School District teacher cited for the alleged physical violence against two children has retired.

In a 7-2 vote at its recent meeting, the Centennial School Board approved the personnel agenda, which included the retirement of 66-year-old Dennis Cahill of Yardley, effectively ending his employment with the Centennial School District.

Board President Mary Alice Brancato and longtime school board member Jane Lynch voting against the measure.

"My vote was a very, very strong no," Lynch told Patch.

"We felt it was best for the kids, community, and teachers," Brancato said in a phone interview with Patch. "We understand the community is livid, but we didn't have a choice."

While some residents have expressed outrage about the decision on social media, Brancato said that had the district not approved the retirement, Cahill could have come back to the district as a teacher.

She also said the retirement vote also saved the district hundreds of thousands of dollars for potential court fights.

"He could have had his job back to teach," Brancato said. "We wanted to let him retire and go away so he can't come back."

Cahill was placed on administrative leave in mid-December after being cited for harassment by the Upper Southampton Township Police Department for alleged physical violence against two children in the Centennial District in the same week while working as a teacher at Davis Elementary School, court records and police stated.

Schools Superintendent Dana Bedden said the school board doesn’t control a person’s retirement, stating it's a decision controlled by PSERS and state law.

The board approved the personnel agenda and can’t deny a person from retirement if they meet the state established standard, Bedden said.

The superintendent added that the school board also has no authority to issue or remove a person’s certificate. That is controlled by PDE.

A police report stated that the allegations involved Cahill hitting a 5-year-old with autism and another where a child was allegedly grabbed by the ears, forcibly moved, and yelled at.

"This is very difficult when a teacher does something wrong," Brancato said. "In this case, the charges were a summary, and Children and Youth had investigated. We took that into consideration."

At the time of the crime, Bedden said that when allegations are made against a teacher in Pennsylvania, the due process of law must be followed by the school district.

Human resources followed the process and procedures and was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation following the appropriate process, the superintendent said.