Centennial Board Appoints Dr. Abraham Lukabaugh as Superintendent over Public Opposition; Vote 5-4

The Centennial School District board of school directors approved the appointment of Dr. Abraham Lukabaugh as superintendent in a 5-4 roll-call vote Tuesday evening, after more than an hour of public comment both for and against the candidate.

The vote followed a motion to approve “Dr. Abraham Lukobar [Lukabaugh] as superintendent of the Centennial School District subject to terms and conditions set forth in the superintendent's contract,” with two board-added limits: conference reimbursements capped at two per year (total cost capped at $7,000) and professional organization membership capped at $7,000. The motion passed 5–4.

The hiring drew repeated public criticism at the meeting’s public-comment period. Tina Cairns, a Warminster resident, cited news reports and said Dr. Lukabaugh had been a visible supporter of controversial Central Bucks policies, including library-material restrictions and a ban on some flags. “Do not vote for someone who lies about his past and then takes no responsibility for it,” Cairns said. Several other speakers, including Nicole Lynch (Southampton) and Neil Miller (Warminster), urged the board to reopen the search and questioned the terms of the contract and the candidate’s record at his prior district.

Opponents repeatedly raised that Dr. Lukabaugh left his prior district amid controversy and that a large separation payment and legal costs were reported in news coverage. “He can try to blame all of Central Bucks’ ills during his tenure on their school board, but his words, his actions, they speak louder,” Cairns said.

Supporters who addressed the board at the forum last week and at Tuesday’s meeting urged decisionmakers to judge the candidate on the full record presented during Centennial’s interview process. “Resist the mockingbird media who sensationalizes everything for the headlines,” said Ed Chaudhry, a Warminster resident who attended the candidate forum. Several speakers described Dr. Lukabaugh as articulate and expressed optimism about his ability to lead.

Board discussion before the vote included comments that the candidate had ranked highly in the district’s selection process and references to the limited number of finalists. The board president introduced the contract caps for conference and professional association reimbursements that were added before the roll call.

Roll-call tally on motion 3.1: Hartline — yes; Godickson — yes; Martin — no; Crosson — no; Sadowski — no; Brancato — yes; McGuire — yes; Ginhart — yes; Lynch — no. The chair announced: “Motion passes 5–4.”

The contract language was discussed briefly at the meeting; some public commenters and board members asked for HR and legal staff to review contract provisions and potential financial and legal risks as the hire moves into implementation.

The decision follows several weeks of community meetings, media reports and a public forum held by the district. The board president noted adjustments to the contract before seeking the vote. The board did not hold a separate recorded vote on the contract’s separation terms at the meeting.

Speakers at the meeting who addressed the appointment included parents, educators and other residents as well as board members who explained procedural aspects of the selection process. The board indicated the appointment is subject to the signed contract and the district will proceed with onboarding steps.