Poynton Resigns As Harford School Board President

In an email on Thursday morning, January 8, 2026, State Delegate Lauren Arikan announced that Harford County School Board President Aaron Poynton, had resigned.

This comes in the middle of an investigation of Harford County Superintendent Sean Bulson regarding a situation in New Orleans, Louisiana on April 6, 2024. The Easton Gazette reported on the event:

Pressure Mounts For Harford County Superintendent of Schools Bulson To Be Fired- UPDATED 1/7/26 6:10 p.m. - The Easton Gazette

Arikan sent this email out Thursday:

Today, according to Fox 45, a vote was taken during a public HCPS school board meeting where Mark Korn, School Board member appointed by Bob Cassilly, called for a vote to investigate which board members may also be involved in both the original event and possibly failed to report the event through the proper channels.

Several school board members were present at the conference in New Orleans with Dr. Sean Bulson on the date that phone call was made from Deputy Superintendent Eric Davis' phone to New Orleans Police.

That vote was downright disgraceful. According to online reports, Aaron Poynton, Board President, who was in New Orleans during the conference, abstained from voting to investigate which board members may have had first-hand knowledge of the events and failed to act.

Additionally, Wade Sewell, who represents District B, also abstained from the vote. As did the student member. Bruce and Perry, both voted no, according to online reports, while the rest of the board all voted yes to the investigation, including District D member Melissa Hahn and Mark Korn, the maker of the motion.

After the public vote, the board closed the meeting to the public and when they came out, Dr. Bulson had been placed on paid administrative leave. This would seemingly allow him to both get paid and avoid having to attend the public meeting of the school board on Monday. How convenient for him.

That vote is slap in the face to the parents of Harford County. You can read the absurd letter below from the School Board President. Just a few hours after this was posted, the entire Aaron Poynton- President, Harford County School Board Facebook page could no longer be found, which could be a violation of state law.

We have now learned that as of this morning, School Board President Aaron Poynton has resigned from his position on the board amid this corruption scandal.

Arikan wrote a letter to the Harford County Board of Education demanding that Bulson be fired.

From the Harford County Public Schools Facebook Page:

This message is being shared on behalf of Dr. Aaron Poynton. It has been sent directly to staff and families via email.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the students, staff, and communities of Harford County. Working alongside each of you in support of public education has been deeply meaningful, and I am proud of the dedication this Board has shown to our schools, educators, and families.

Service on the Board of Education is a volunteer role that nevertheless requires a substantial and growing time commitment. With the added responsibilities of the presidency, the workload has increased to a level that has effectively become more than a full-time role. As a result, I have found myself increasingly stretched and unable to give appropriate attention to other important aspects of my life, including my family and my professional responsibilities.

I recognize that this decision comes at a time of turbulence for Harford County Public Schools. However, I want to be clear that my decision was not influenced by the recent challenges facing the district. For several months, I have been in discussions with a new employer regarding a Chief Executive Officer role, and I am scheduled to begin that position next week. This role will require my full-time attention and frequent extended travel outside of Harford County. In light of these commitments, I have concluded that I can no longer fulfill the duties of this position at the level of focus and availability it deserves.

With that in mind, I have no choice but to resign from my position on the Harford County Board of Education, effective today.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served and for the trust placed in me by my fellow Board members, HCPS, and by the community. I will continue to support Harford County Public Schools and its mission from a distance, and I wish the Board and the district continued success in the important work ahead.

With respect and appreciation- Aaron Poynton"

Since he has resigned, the Harford County Council will have to approve his replacement. He was appointed by the council in 2023. Prior to his resignation, six positions on the Harford County Board of Education are currently up for election in 2026.

Jan Greenhawk, Author

January 8, 2026

Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school system administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball. She was a former county Teacher of the Year and one of five finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year.

This article was originally featured on the Easton Gazette.