Camden school board meeting again disrupted by demands for president to resign. ‘He’s not stepping down,’ said his lawyer.
A former Camden board member announced that he plans to launch a petition to recall Wasim Muhammad, an undertaking that would require thousands of signatures to put before voters in November.
Nearly three months after the Camden school district and its school board president reached a $2 million settlement with a former student who said Wasim Muhammad sexually abused her when he was her social studies teacher, the Muslim minister still refuses to step down — even as protesters demanded he be removed from his position.
“He wishes to serve the community,” Muhammad’s lawyer Troy Archie said at a board meeting Tuesday night. “He’s not stepping down.”
About 100 people packed the board meeting in the auditorium at Camden High School, where the board tried to hold its second meeting since Muhammad resumed his board seat, again unable to conduct business. Earlier, they held a rally outside chanting “Fed up! Fired up!” and waved signs that read “Do the right thing! Resign!”
“We are resolute that there will be no business as usual until this action is taken,” said Pastor Ojii Baba Mahdi. “We will be here until we value our children as they should be valued.”
Muhammad, 56, has been under fire after the district and Muhammad reached a settlement in June in a civil case brought by the former student accusing him of sexually abusing her when he was her teacher in 1994. The jury said Muhammad “recklessly or intentionally committed extreme and outrageous conduct” upon Salema Robinson, but rejected her sexual assault and battery allegations against the Muslim minister. The jury awarded her $1.6 million, though, which was increased under a later settlement between her, Muhammad and the school district.
Gov. Phil Murphy has called for Muhammad to step down from the board after the case made headlines earlier this year. Instead, Muhammad took a leave of absence while the case was pending and announced earlier this month his plans to return to the board.
On Tuesday, when Muhammad banged a gavel to call the meeting to order, the room erupted with boos and whistle-blowing. Security was tight in the auditorium and barriers were set up to block the five rows near the board in front of the room.
“Wasim leave,” someone yelled.
“Nobody wants you,” another yelled.
The calls for Muhammad to resign came from parents, teachers, former sexual assault victims and a student. Kevin Waters, a counselor at Eastside High, urged Muhammad to “have some heart.”
The chants stopped during the Pledge of Allegiance and escalated again during public comments. More than 30 people signed up to speak, but the meeting was abruptly adjourned after a scuffle. The board went into closed session and returned a short time later to say it no longer had a quorum to continue.
Lester Taylor, the board’s solicitor, told the crowd that neither the board nor the district’s superintendent, Katrina McCombs, has the authority to remove Muhammad. A board member can be removed for only three reasons: three consecutive absences, a criminal conviction, or lack of district residency.
Muhammad declined comment.
Jeffrey Fritz, the attorney who represented Robinson, the plaintiff in the lawsuit, read a statement from her, demanding Muhammad’s resignation. An elementary teacher in Atlanta, Robinson, now 45, said she wanted to attend the meeting but decided it would jeopardize her fragile mental health.
Holding up a photo of Robinson when she was a student at Cooper B. Hatch Middle School, Fritz outlined allegations by his client that Muhammad began a sexual relationship with the former student in 1994 when he was her teacher and was known as Donnie Walker. She alleged that the two engaged in a threesome with one of his wives and that he took her to a porn theater and forced her to have sex with a stranger while he watched and masturbated.
“Camden deserves better,” Fritz said.
Theo Spencer, a former Camden board member, announced that he plans to launch a petition to recall Muhammad, an arduous undertaking that would require thousands of signatures to put the matter before voters in November. Other speakers called for the board to remove Muhammad as its president.
Tension escalated when Chabree Muhammad identified herself as “the proud wife” of Muhammad and attempted to speak. The crowd erupted and shouted over her remarks. Muhammad escorted Chabree and several of his wives to front-row seats in the auditorium. Several of his sons stood at attention on a wall.
Chaos ensued when another of his wives was restrained to stop her from confronting a protester. Muhammad rushed from the stage and helped his son escort the woman from the auditorium. The meeting ended a short time later without McCombs conducting any business.
» READ MORE: In his sex abuse trial, Wasim Muhammad testified that four of his six wives were 18 when he met them
A minister in Muhammad’s Temple 20, Muhammad testified during the trial that he has a legal marriage with his high school sweetheart, Stephanie, and four wives that he married under his Islamic faith. He acknowledged a sixth marriage that later ended.
Muhammad has denied any wrongdoing. He testified during the trial that he became involved with Robinson after she turned 18 and married her under his Muslim faith, too. Robinson has denied the two were married.
Besides the “outrageous conduct” count, the jury held Muhammad and the district liable for counts including “willful misconduct” and negligence in supervising Muhammad, and for permitting “a sexually hostile educational environment.” The verdict did not offer insight into its findings.
The bulk of the settlement was covered by the district’s insurance carrier, with the district paying $500,000 from its fiscal 2023-2024 operating budget. Muhammad did not incur any expenses. Archie billed the district $221,236.50 for his legal fees, according to invoices obtained by The Inquirer under the state’s Open Public Records Act. Those fees will be paid by the district, as well.
Muhammad was appointed to the board in 2013 and later elected for two terms. He became president in 2020. Because the district is under state takeover, the board members serve in an advisory capacity and have no real authority.