Harford County’s school board announced Monday night that it was terminating its contract with Superintendent Sean Bulson amid a brewing controversy over a 911 call on a 2024 New Orleans trip.

Bulson, who has led Harford County Public Schools for nearly eight years, will be paid through June 30, said newly elected board president Lauren Paige. But he’s fired effective this month.

Bulson, who earns $293,220 annually, has been on paid leave since January, when audio of a 911 call led some local officials to call for his resignation.

In the recording, the caller, purportedly Bulson, said he’d been robbed by a woman whose name he didn’t know while he had been sleeping. Bulson was staying at a New Orleans hotel while attending a conference at the time. At the school board’s request, the inspector general for education investigated, determining that nothing had been stolen.

Bulson has yet to speak publicly about the issue and could not be reached for comment.

The board voted 6-3 to pay out Bulson’s contract during a closed meeting last week, Paige announced. She said Monday night that the search for a new superintendent will start immediately.

Dyann Mack, one of Bulson’s deputy superintendents, is currently serving as acting superintendent. Another deputy superintendent, Eric Davis, was placed on paid administrative leave.

Board President Aaron Poynton resigned days after the 911 call came to light, though he said his resignation was unrelated to the call.

Filling Poynton’s seat is Liliana Norkaitis, who was appointed by County Executive Bob Cassilly and approved by the council at the Feb. 3 meeting. Norkaitis, according to Councilman Tony “G” Giangiordano, works in Republican Del. Kathy Szeliga’s office.

State test scores rose under Bulson’s leadership over the years. In 2023, Harford students outpaced the state average in English scores. Bulson was selected that year as Superintendent of the Year by the Public Schools Superintendents’ Association of Maryland.

However, critics have lambasted the leader over academics, budget decisions, mask mandates, a school shooting and, now, his alleged indiscretion in New Orleans.

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