HUDSON, Fla. - Dr. David LaRoche is running for superintendent of Pasco County Schools. The current superintendent just demoted him. He wants an explanation.

What You Need To Know

LaRoche still proudly wears his Hudson High School colors, even after he was suddenly let go from there.

“Obviously I was devastated,” Laroche said in an interview. “I had no idea. There was no conversation about anything like this before.”

He was principal at Hudson for more than 12 years. He even attended there as a student. Though it’s a Title 1 school, it achieved a B rating two years straight, and was going for a third straight before the pandemic.

Last week, he was told over the phone he’d be moved to Mitchell High School as an assistant principal.

“I have no idea why this went down the way that it did. But I felt horrible,” LaRoche said.

He suspects it’s a political move because he’s running for superintendent.

“Absolutely. 100 percent,” LaRoche said when asked if he’d still have his job had he not run for office.

In response to this story, Superintendent Kurt Browning said he wanted a principal at Hudson with experience in its new University of Cambridge curriculum, which will start in the new school year.

In addition, Browning said in a statement: “While I try to avoid commenting on the performance of any specific employees, I will say that the current principal is not supportive of the direction that the School Board and I are going with our schools. We are fortunate to have an administrator ready to step in who is uniquely qualified and prepared to lead this transformation. We owe it to the students and their families, and to the staff, to make the changes necessary to ensure success.”

LaRoche says he never had any conversations with school leaders like that.

Still, he’s very appreciative of the community support he has received from Hudson High teachers and parents. Several even rallied last week after this decision was made.

That’s why he’s continuing his campaign.

“People in the system have told me that you should be concerned that they’re going to do something about this. I really do believe this is all about politics and it’s so sad we’d do this to the Hudson community,” LaRoche said.

The election for Pasco County superintendent will be held during the primary on August 18.

Pasco County is one of the biggest school districts in the country to hold an election for its superintendent. It’s currently a three-way race between Browning, LaRoche and Bayonet Point Middle teacher Cynthia Thompson.