For a month, talk in Harford County Public Schools has been dominated by a controversy that culminated Monday in the Board of Education firing longtime Superintendent Sean Bulson and buying out the remainder of his contract.

In the aftermath of that decision, which came after the release of a recorded call Bulson made to New Orleans Police while on a school system-funded trip in 2024, community members see an opportunity to start a new conversation.

The school system will soon launch its search for a new superintendent, with Interim Superintendent Dyann Mack at the district’s helm in the meantime.

Even among Bulson’s most vocal critics, discussion has shifted to what comes next.

In a statement, the local chapter of Moms For Liberty, which made multiple calls for Bulson’s termination during the former superintendent’s tenure, said: “Now is the time to move forward.”

Rachel Gauthier, a former board member and current HCPS educator, said she understands why the board made the decision to let Bulson go, but she doesn’t agree with the rationale of the issue at hand. She feels Bulson’s situation has been used as a “political chew toy.”

Gauthier, who served on the school board from 2015 to 2022, said although the public wants a different superintendent, they don’t understand how costly the process is.

“How are they going to attract a candidate?” she questioned, noting the current climate of the school system amid sometimes tense discussions of teacher hiring practices and the content of school libraries.

To move forward, Gauthier said the board needs to first address inner turmoil. Next, she said, they need to earn back the trust of the public, and also the trust of educators around the district.

Crystal Rufenacht, a Harford County Public Schools educator who said she is sad about how things unfolded with the superintendent’s termination, wants to see more stability from the district’s leadership after a rocky start to the new year.

She’d like to see the school board maintain an interim superintendent and take the necessary time to tackle the next big thing on its list — next year’s budget.

“We need our board members to work with the superintendent to put a budget forth that’s going to meet the needs of students and educators,” Rufenacht said.

When choosing the next superintendent, Rufenacht wants the board to thoroughly research the candidate’s background to ensure they’re well positioned to take on the role.

Gauthier, who has one child in high school in HCPS and another who has graduated, said as a parent she’s looking for someone that’s looking at the “bigger picture.”

She’s interested in a candidate that’s “been through the trenches,” and worked their way through the school system.

Moms For Liberty hopes that as the search for new leadership begins, the board will “prioritize transparency, student safety and traditional academics.”

Have a news tip? Contact Shaela Foster at sfoster@baltsun.com.