LAKEVILLE — Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent of Schools Alan Strauss has resigned, citing "defamatory statements’’ made about his health by two School Committee members.

Strauss was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in July 2023 and shared his diagnosis from the Dana Farber Cancer Center shortly after with the then chair and vice chair of the School Committee and then with the overall school community. 

In a statement read at the Jan. 8 Freetown Lakeville School Committee meeting, Strauss said he has received a “compassionate’’ response from most community members.

But he “did not anticipate’’ the “reaction from a small group of local elected and appointed officials, including two School Committee members, Carolina Hernandez and Crystal Ng, and others in town government who have made defamatory statements about my health.’’

These comments, he said, were “vicious and defamatory efforts to destroy my professional reputation.’’

He said questions were raised about his decision to take family and medical leave and School Committee members were urged to seek second opinions regarding his illness. Questions were also raised about why he had not lost his hair or worn a mask, he said.

This created a “toxic environment that has compromised my ability to prioritize my health,’’ he said. “The stress imposed has hindered the effectiveness of my treatment and my therapies.’’

He said that although he “inevitably missed work days’’ and used family and medical leave, he “never neglected [his] responsibilities to the district,’’ and at times “worked from a treatment chair at Dana Farber.’’

A financial settlement was reached with the Strauss and the School Committee, committee member Jennifer Blum said. 

She noted that the settlement was unanimously agreed upon at executive sessions that all School Committee members were invited to attend. Two committee members chose not to attend, she said. She did not specify which committee members she was referring to.

Strauss stressed that this agreement does not release him from pursuing claims against towns or individuals. Details of the agreement were not publicly released. 

Blum said the district will seek a new superintendent. In the interim, Director of Curriculum and Assessment Teri Fleming, Director of Finance and Operations John Higgins and Director of Student Services Kelly Steele will fill the role.

Ng refused comment. Hernandez did not respond to a request for comment.