Protest Planned Over Centennial Superintendent Choice

WARMINSTER, PA — A protest is planned by concerned citizens at a community forum Thursday night against the candidate expected to become the Centennial School District's next superintendent.

Concerned Citizens of the Centennial School District is planning to "peacefully protest" the Meet & Greet with former Central Bucks Schools Superintendent Abram Lucabaugh, who is the top choice to replace retiring Schools Superintendent Dana T. Bedden.

The protest is planned for 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Log College Middle School, 730 N. Norristown Road. The community forum is expected to begin at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of Log College Middle School.

In addition to introductory remarks from Lucabaugh, the community forum will have a question-and-answer period facilitated by Mark Hoffman, executive director of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit, which conducted the superintendent search.

Submitted questions will be consolidated by common themes by the facilitator to allow Lucabaugh to address the maximum number of topics possible, organizers said.

The format does not provide an opportunity for questions or comments from the audience.

Next Thursday, 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 "strongly oppose" the hiring of Lucabaugh to replace Bedden, who 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.

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 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 citizens group also condemns the school board's lack of transparency and community engagement throughout the hiring process.

They said 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 the Centennial School Board to hold meetings for the final two candidates to be interviewed by a group of students, parents, teachers and faculty.

For the current superintendent search, this was not done, the group said.

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