Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Freeport school district has filed a lawsuit against currently reassigned Superintendent of Schools Fia Davis, leveling several accusations against her, including that she allegedly misrepresented her qualifications during the hiring process. Her current reassigned position has not been publicly disclosed and includes full pay and benefits.
The suit was filed to the Nassau County Supreme Court on Monday on behalf of the school district by the Garden City law firm Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran, district officials announced at a town hall meeting at Freeport High School that same day. Davis has not yet responded to the suit directly or via representation.
According to the lawsuit, the district is seeking to void its employment agreement with Davis, and is requesting reimbursement for $100,000 for what it describes as unauthorized renovation of the superintendent’s office. This reimbursement is in addition to her salary, $295,000 according to New York State Department of Education data, that she has been paid since she was hired in August 2024, as well as other expenses that she incurred while on the job.
The district is also requesting reimbursement for fees paid to a vendor that had undisclosed affiliations with Davis, the lawsuit states. The district seeks nearly $20,000 for those costs.
During the town hall, district attorneys specified that Davis misrepresented herself to the school board and the district by claiming to be receiving her doctorate degree in September 2024. The board determined this to be untrue and seek to void her employment agreement based on this allegation.
Before being hired by the Freeport district, Davis served as superintendent of school districts 8, 10 and 11 in the Bronx.
The Freeport Board of Education suspended Davis in April of 2025, while investigating the allegations. Since last fall, many parents and district employees have expressed anger over what they say is the district’s failure to publicly clarify the superintendent’s status.
During Monday’s meeting, Scott Richardson, the school board’s vice president, sought to dispel what he described as "lies" and misconceptions about Davis that have circulated on social media. He also emphasized the importance of allowing the district's attorneys to work toward a favorable resolution of the lawsuit.
"You can't come in here and think just because we hired you, you can come in here and do whatever you want,” Richardson said of Davis. “That's not how it works."
After the meeting, the school board provided answers to questions from the Herald that it couldn’t conduct a formal search to replace Davis as superintendent until the lawsuit is resolved.
Alice Kane will continue to serve as interim superintendent until a formal search is done. Kane was appointed in April 2025, having previously served as an assistant superintendent for educational and administrative services in the district. She had retired in 2023 before being asked to serve in the interim role. She was paid $94,000 from May 1 through September of last year alone while Davis continues to receive payments from the district.
The board has promised a more thorough search to find the next superintendent.
"When it is appropriate to begin a search process,” reads a statement from the School Board, “the board will work with its superintendent search firm to ensure comprehensive vetting of all final candidates is incorporated into the final selection decision-making process.”
The school board declined to provide further information on Davis's reassignment or the timeline for the lawsuit to be brought before a judge.
Have an opinion on the Freeport superintendent controversy? Send letter to afrancis@liherald.com.
