Maryland's Inspector General for Education (OIGE) completed its investigation into Harford County Superintendent Dr. Sean Bulson. The report found there was no data breach after Bulson allegedly reported that school-owned property was stolen from him in 2024. 

The OIGE initiated the investigation after several county officials raised concerns about a non-emergency call that Bulson allegedly made to the New Orleans Police while he was attending a work conference in 2024. WJZ is still working to authenticate the call. 

Bulson was put on administrative leave with pay as the investigation played out. 

As of Monday afternoon, the Harford County School Board did not have an update on Bulson's job status. 

"The Office of the Inspector General's report has been received, and it is appropriate that the Board of Education carefully review its findings and determine what additional actions or decisions may be necessary," Interim Superintendent Dr. Dyann R. Mack said in a statement. "As that process moves forward, my priority is ensuring the continued effective operation of our school system and maintaining trust through transparency and accountability."

Superintendent reports alleged theft

During the conversation, a caller who identified himself as Bulson reported that he let an unknown woman into his hotel room, and she stole his wallet, an Apple Watch, a laptop and an iPad, totaling about $8,000 in value. 

It was initially believed that the stolen items were school-owned property. However, an internal review carried out after the OIGE investigation began found that no student data was compromised. 

The results of the internal review were reported to WJZ by former Harford County Board of Education President Dr. Aaron Poynton.  

OIGE report 

According to the OIGE report, the board president reported that a school-issued phone and laptop were lost or stolen while the superintendent was attending the 2024 National School Board Association Conference.

The report found that staff members at the hotel recovered the items from the superintendent's hotel room and returned them. According to the report, the items were examined for signs of tampering, and the school district's IT director determined that there was no breach. 

The report said Poynton was aware that the items were reported stolen, found, examined, and replaced 20 months before the request for an investigation was made. 

On January 8, Poynton resigned from his job, citing a heavy workload, and saying his decision "was not influenced by the recent challenges facing the district."

The OIGE submitted its report to the Harford County Board of Education for "appropriate action." 

On January 12, a Harford County Public Schools spokesperson said Deputy Superintendent Eric Davis has been placed on administrative leave. No reason was given.

Harford County school board meets publicly

Harford County's Board of Education is meeting publicly on Monday for the first time since all of the controversy surrounding the superintendent and the school board.

Despite several agenda items, many parents are in attendance want transparency from the school board. Even though the school board has taken actions to remedy the situation, parents are wondering how this flew under the radar for so long.

"It's simply about the superintendent's conduct, and I think that conduct and his response to that conduct firmly justifies, that he be removed immediately, and we proceed on with selecting the long process of selecting a new superintendent to take over and guide Harford County Public Schools into the next couple years, at least, if not beyond," Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly said.