A Souderton school board member’s vulgar social media post about Kamala Harris was ‘inappropriate,’ district officials say

Souderton school officials say a board member’s social media post accusing Vice President Kamala Harris of giving sexual favors was “inappropriate” — telling the community it doesn’t reflect the school district as a whole.

In a statement Friday, the district said the board has “asked for time to process the situation” amid calls for the resignation of Bill Formica, after he posted on the social media platform X that Harris “blew a lot of dudes.”

Formica — who had responded to another user’s post criticizing Harris, asking “Name ONE THING this chick has accomplished politically” — “used inappropriate language and poor judgment,” the district said in its statement.

Noting that Formica’s post “has received a significant amount of attention in our community,” the district said, “We do not want a delay in communication from the district to be perceived as a lack of concern or disregard for the impact these comments have had on our community.”

Formica, an elected Republican, appears to have since deleted his X account. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

As of Monday, an online petition seeking his resignation and urging people to attend an Aug. 29 school board meeting had more than 1,300 signatures.

“As a teacher in the district, I know how much emphasis we put on teaching our students that ‘Character Counts,’ that bullying in any form is not acceptable, and that inappropriate social media use has consequences,” Christine Jackson, a Souderton teacher, wrote on the petition.

Describing the district as teaching students to build each other up “regardless of opinions, race, gender, or political stance,” Jackson said, “Mr. Formica’s comment demonstrates that he has no understanding of these ideals and he should not be representing the district or be making decisions for the children living in this community.”

Others accused Formica of sexism and misogyny, questioning what message his comments sent to female students.

First appointed to a vacant seat on the school board last summer, Formica won election to the board in November as part of a slate of Republican candidates.

“Students have a right to a balanced and unbiased education,” Formica said on a campaign website before the election. “As a school, it is our duty to keep politics and employee viewpoints out of the classrooms and maintain a level of respect for all students and staff members.”

Souderton Area for Responsible Leadership, a political action committee that backed the Democratic candidates, said the fact that Formica was initially chosen for a seat undermined the district’s assertion that his comments didn’t reflect the board as a whole.

“By doing this, they have shown us quite plainly that they do not believe character counts,” the committee said in a statement, calling Formica’s post “lewd and offensive.” It urged the board to demand Formica’s resignation and appoint the Democrat who had run against him, Elise Bowers, as the next highest vote-getter.

Formica has a history of offensive social media posts, according to critics. In one screenshot of a post a Souderton resident shared with the Inquirer, Formica said, “I never saw a ‘straight’ parade. No one pushes heterosexuality. It’s just nature’s way.”

In another — responding to a post about the first transgender woman to win Miss Maryland — Formica said, “Are men really better at EVERYTHING than women are?”

The board’s president, Ken Keith, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

In its statement, the district said that “words matter. Respect matters. Our schools and offices must be spaces where diverse opinions are honored — but where respect is required.”