A school superintendent suddenly resigned after Democrats took over — and he's getting a $712,000 severance package

• A Philadelphia-area superintendent resigned after Democrats won big in school board elections.
• The outgoing GOP-led board is giving him a nice send-off: a $712,000 severance deal.

Democrats won big in a Philadelphia suburb's school board elections — and now parents are crying foul as the GOP-led board gave the district's superintendent a massive payday on their way out.

Central Bucks School District superintendent Abram Lucabaugh suddenly quit this week, just days after Democratic candidates won their elections to take control of the school board, according to the Bucks County Herald.

Lucabaugh had just signed a new 5-year contract in July, the County Herald reported.

At a school board meeting on Tuesday, hundreds of residents packed into an auditorium and shouted protests as the Republicans on the board voted to approve the severance, which also includes $39,000 in taxes that taxpayers must cover, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

The deal also shields Lucabaugh from being sued, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. According to a meeting agenda item, Lucabaugh's severance deal is "in accordance with" the terms outlined in his new contract.

Board President Dana Hunter — who lost her reelection bid and will leave the board next month — supported the deal, saying it'd cost less than if the incoming Democratic board fired him and appointed their own superintendent, according to the Courier Times.

Hunter also said she "deeply respects" Lucabaugh's work for the district.

Lucabaugh had supported Republican policies targeting LGBTQ issues in the district, including banning Pride flags and "sexualized content" in school libraries, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Current Democratic board members trashed the deal, with one saying it may be illegal.

"It's a complete violation of our fiduciary responsibility," said one no-vote, board member Miriam Mahmud, according to the Courier Times. "This has never been about education. This has never been about the kids. It's unfair to all the taxpayers. It's completely wrong."

The Courier Times reported that residents were only given 24-hour notice of the deal and shouted at the board members, calling the deal "corruption."

At points during the raucous meeting, Hunter demanded order and threatened to kick people out, according to the Courier Times.

"What is wrong with you?" she said, the Courier Times reported. "I've never been in a room with such rude people in my life. Do we need to clear the room?"

Lucabaugh didn't attend the meeting, which wrapped up moments after the board approved his severance deal. The GOP-led board also voted at the meeting to ban transgender students from competing in school sports, the Inquirer reported.

One Democrat on the board said the new school board would be "revising" that policy soon, the Inquirer reported.