Find Another Centennial Superintendent Candidate, Parents Say

WARMINSTER, PA — While the Centennial School District has selected Abram Lucabaugh as its next schools superintendent, residents at Tuesday night's meeting oppose the choice and want another candidate.

The school board heard from numerous residents in a packed room of over 100 people on Tuesday night with many saying that the former Central Bucks schools superintendent is not a good fit based on his prior leadership experience.

“I am asking the board, no pleading with the board, do not hire this man. He comes with a lot of awful baggage that our district should not spend time or money dealing with,” Warminster resident Tina Cairns said.

The selection, though, isn't a done deal despite an official announcement by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which conducted the Centennial selection search and included quotes from Lucabaugh and School Board President Mary Alice Brancato about him coming on board.

The school district will hold a community forum about Lucabaugh's appointment on Thursday.

Then, on May 27, the school board will vote on his employment agreement. Lucabaugh needs five votes from the nine-member board.

Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District are expressing "strong opposition" to the hiring of Lucabaugh to replace Dana T. Bedden as schools superintendent. Bedden is retiring once his five-year contract expires at the end of June.

They are citing "his troubling and costly record" of irresponsibility, discrimination, censorship, and litigation during his tenure leading the Central Bucks School District.

The Central Bucks School Board reached a more than $700,000 severance agreement with Lucabaugh that was approved by the outgoing school board in November 2023.

“Why would you want to invite that circus to our community?" Nicole Lynch, an Upper Southampton Township resident, said at the meeting. "Admit you made a mistake and stop it now. We are not going away.”

Lucabaugh tried to fan the flames, providing a statement following the meeting.

"The opportunity to serve as your next superintendent in Centennial is a privilege and an honor, and I would like to thank the Centennial Board of School Directors for their faith in me. We have important work ahead of us, and I'm confident that together, we can build an environment of excellence where every student has access, opportunity, and choice to become the best version of themselves," he said in a statement Action News 6 reported.

But residents are worried about what the future for the district holds if the school board approves his contract, which would begin on July 1 and is expected to be a five-year deal.

“We have a ton of seniors in this township living on fixed incomes. Our Social Security is at risk now, our Medicare’s at risk, and now our homes are going to be at risk with school taxes,” resident Patricia Boyle said. “Please consider all of us seniors.”

Besides taxes, others are worried about some of Lucabaugh's potential policies.

A federal complaint filed against the Central Bucks School District during Lucabaugh's tenure accused the district of discriminating against LGBTQ+ students.

"I don't think those policies have any place in our district for our children and teachers here," Lynch said. "This district, to date, has been very supportive and inclusive of all children. I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what has changed that led us to this point."

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