Quakertown school board to vote on superintendent's resignation
The Quakertown Board of School Directors appears set to approve the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Matthew Friedman, nearly three weeks after he went on leave.
The school board meeting agenda for Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m. shows the board will vote on a motion to approve Friedman's resignation, and then vote on a motion to appoint Dr. Lisa Hoffman as Interim Superintendent.
Hoffman has been overseeing district operations since Friedman took his leave on Feb. 13.
The district did not provide a reason for Friedman's leave, only calling it a "personnel matter" that limited the details the board could share.
The shakeup comes as the community continues to deal with the fallout from an anti-ICE student protest that ended with the arrest of five Quakertown High School students after dozens walked off campus on Friday, Feb. 20.
Videos from the protest that were posted on social media showed Quakertown police chief and borough manager Scott McElree putting a student in a chokehold. McElree was not in uniform at the time of the confrontation.
Other videos showed a man being walked to a police SUV by officers, an officer grab a minor by their neck and take them to the ground, and an adult who appeared to be on the ground in handcuffs.
The students, who came to be known as the "Quakertown Five," were detained for at least four nights after the protest. An attorney for one of the students said they were charged with felony aggravated assault.
Community members were quick to express their outrage over the incident and called for McElree to resign.
"It was uncalled for," said Lolly Hopwood, a member of Doylestown Action League. "The fact that these kids were held for so long is an absolute atrocity, and the fact that they're being charged with what they're being charged with is just horrible."
One week after the protest, McElree was placed on workers' compensation leave, Quakertown Borough Solicitor Peter Nelson confirmed to CBS News Philadelphia.
Community groups say they plan to attend Wednesday's Quakertown Borough Council meeting to demand McElree be terminated.
