ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — A former principal at a Rockingham County school is suing the Rockingham County School Board and Superintendent Dr. Larry Shifflett for what he calls wrongful termination.

In a suit filed last night in U-S District Court in Harrisonburg, Joseph Kapuchuk, who was the principal at Peak View Elementary School from 2021 to 2024, claims his constitution rights were violated under the first and 14th amendments.  

In addition to Dr. Shifflett, Ashely Burgoyne, Hollie Cave, Matthew Cross, Sara Horst and Jackie Lohr, the school board members back in 2024, were listed as defendants.

According to court documents, the suit stemmed from an incident in August of 2024 when Kapuchuk claims that he was forced to resign but when he tendered to his resignation, the board refused to accept it and terminated his employment.

He is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.