SOUDERTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — The Souderton Area School Board is facing escalating tensions as community members gather in increasing numbers to demand the resignation of board member Bill Formica. Thursday night marked at least the third consecutive meeting where a significant portion of the community voiced concerns about Formica’s fitness to serve, citing his disparaging online posts about teachers, LGBTQ+ individuals, racial issues, and inappropriate comments regarding Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Mr. Formica has described his posts as impulsive. While one post may be considered impulsive, this is not an isolated incident. He has repeatedly chosen to use social media to belittle others,” stated Carol Luciani, president of the Souderton Area Education Association. Luciani added that such behavior undermines the integrity of the education system and erodes the trust that the community places in its leaders.
Despite expectations for a larger venue given the rising attendance, the meeting was held at the district offices, which only accommodate around 100 people. Attendees were required to show identification to enter, a move some found alarming for a public meeting. A long line formed outside, and several individuals were turned away due to the ID requirement. Heather Young, a local resident, expressed her concerns, stating, “This is kind of alarming to see the board wield their district police in this way.”
In response to the ID requirement, school board solicitor Timothy Gilsbach explained, “We wanted to ensure that constituents and stakeholders within the district had the opportunity to attend. That is what we were trying to do.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, those advocating for Formica’s resignation significantly outnumbered supporters. However, voices in defense of the embattled board member were also heard. “There’s nothing in the Constitution that guarantees us freedom from being offended,” remarked Rick Sacks of Souderton.
This meeting followed a highly attended session in late August, where Formica publicly apologized for his recent comments. Critics have condemned the board’s silence amid the ongoing controversy, and on Thursday, multiple board members, as well as district superintendent and School Board President Ken Keith, declined to answer questions from Action News.
In a written inquiry sent prior to the meeting, Action News’ Leland Pinder reached out to all school board members seeking comments on the controversy surrounding Formica. Only Janet Flisak responded, saying, “Please do not consider the action of the whole as the desire of one. Every board member has their individual opinion, and democracy rules when we vote. Majority wins as it does in all our elections.”
Formica has reiterated that he has no intention of resigning, and community members have vowed to continue advocating for accountability and engagement with the board regarding this issue.
