Parent-Led Group Protests Centennial's Superintendent Selection

WARMINSTER, PA — Some residents have formed a group to protest the Centennial School District's choice for its next schools superintendent.

Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District are expressing "strong opposition" to the hiring of Abram 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.

“Our district cannot afford the financial, educational, or moral cost of Dr. Lucabaugh’s leadership,” said Nancy Pontius, spokeswoman for Concerned Citizens of Centennial School District. “His record shows a pattern of behaviors that led to reckless spending, discrimination, and censorship that would harm our students and community.”

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.

The Centennial School Board will vote on an employment agreement with Lucabaugh to serve as the district's next superintendent at its May 27 meeting.

Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District have raised the following concerns:

• Lucabaugh oversaw policies that resulted in more than $1 million in legal fees and lawsuits paid by Central Bucks taxpayers.
• The district spent $144,000 in taxpayer money on a PR firm to spin the narrative around his controversial policies.
• He wrongfully suspended teacher Andrew Burgess for standing up for a transgender student, leading to a lawsuit that cost taxpayers $100,000 in damages plus $400,000 in legal fees.
• He resigned 4.5 years early from a 5-year contract, yet was awarded a $700,000 taxpayer-funded severance package.
• He supported book banning policies that censored teachers, including forcing a librarian to remove an Elie Wiesel quote from the library door.
• He implemented discriminatory policies so severe that the ACLU sued the district on behalf of LGBTQ+ students.
• Given Lucabaugh’s history in Central Bucks School District, there is deep concern that his willingness to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students could extend to other vulnerable and marginalized student populations that may also be threatened by harmful policies under his leadership.
• Lucabaugh is currently involved in litigation arising from decisions made during his tenure as Superintendent of Central Bucks School District.

In addition to the above concerns, the Concerned Citizens of Centennial School District "strongly condemn the Centennial School Board’s lack of transparency and community engagement throughout this process."

"The board advanced Lucabaugh’s candidacy without meaningfully consulting district parents, educators, or broader community stakeholders. By sidelining parent and community input, the board has eroded trust and undermined the principles of open governance that should guide decisions of this magnitude. During previous Superintendent searches, it has been customary for Centennial School Board to hold meetings for the final two candidates to be interviewed by a group of students, parents, teachers and faculty," the group. "For the current Superintendent search, this was not done."

The Bucks County Intermediate Unit conducted Centennial's superintendent search.

Concerned Citizens of Centennial School District urges the school board to reject Lucabaugh’s candidacy and to recommit to a transparent search for a superintendent who embodies educational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and equity.

“Our district is diverse, inclusive, and deserves leadership that protects all students,” Pontius said. “We cannot allow Mr. Lucabaugh’s harmful policies to take root here. Moreover, we cannot accept a decision-making process that ignores the voices of the very people it is meant to serve.”