Allen Strauss, superintendent of the Freetown-Lakeville Regional School District, announced his resignation and said he has entered a separation and settlement agreement with the district, telling the committee his health and treatment were undermined by public questioning from some elected officials.

Strauss said he was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in July 2023 and described growing public scrutiny from a “small group of elected and appointed officials,” naming school committee members Carolina Hernandez and Crystal Ng as among those who he said had made “defamatory statements” about his illness. He said officials asked for proof of his diagnosis, questioned his use of sick days and FMLA leave, and urged the committee to seek a second opinion — allegations Strauss presented as reasons he could no longer continue.

"When you get too tired to fight, then lay down and rest and let somebody else fight for you," Strauss told the committee, a line he repeated in his remarks. He said he will not release claims against the towns or town officials individually, but that he had discussed legal options with counsel before agreeing to the settlement.

The school committee issued a written statement during the same meeting describing the outcome as a mutual decision made in the parties’ best interest and saying it was not a reflection of Strauss’s performance. The committee said it conducted executive sessions beginning in early November, approved the separation agreement that was drafted by attorneys, and that votes on the matter were unanimous among members who participated; two members chose not to participate in the discussion or votes, the committee added.

As an interim measure, the committee said three senior administrators will share superintendent responsibilities: Terry Fleming, director of curriculum and assessment; Jack Higgins, director of finance and operations; and Kelly Steele, director of student services. The committee added that it will post the executive-session minutes related to the agreement to the district website after those minutes are approved at a future meeting and that it will begin searching for a replacement.

Strauss used his remarks to list accomplishments he attributed to district leadership during his tenure, including a three-year school improvement plan, reductions in chronic absenteeism, equity-team work, improvements in special-education compliance and a completed capital and master plan. He said the stress caused by the alleged public scrutiny had affected the effectiveness of his medical treatments and that he had frequently worked while receiving treatment.

The committee’s statement said the district will provide updates when they are available and asked the community to respect the privacy of individuals involved.

The settlement amount, the effective date of Strauss’s departure and any additional terms of the agreement were not specified during the meeting.