Embattled Camden school advisory board president resists calls to step down as meeting ends in chaos

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The Camden City School District Advisory Board meeting abruptly ended Tuesday evening after more than 25 speakers called on embattled Advisory Board President Wasim Muhammad to resign or be fired.

The contentious meeting at the Camden High School campus comes after the school district reached a $2 million settlement with Salema Hicks Robinson in May. Robinson alleged that Muhammad, also known as Donnie Walker, sexually assaulted her when she was his student in middle school.

On Tuesday, a crowd of more than 100 came with signs to protest Muhammad’s presence on the board. But Camden City School District security officers confiscated the signs at the entrance.

One of Muhammad’s wives, Chabree Muhammad, took to the podium in her husband’s defense.

“I want to share some of the successes of the Camden City students that we’re all here for,” she said over the shouts, boos and whistles from community members, who tried to shut her out. “Before I do that, I want to thank the district … for keeping me a happy, healthy and safe alumni. Most importantly, thank you for giving me the gift of being able to read and comprehend.”

“Sit down!” one woman shouted as Chabree Muhammad attempted to read a list of colleges and universities that Camden high school students attended. An official for the school district asked the crowd to not blow whistles, which were persistent throughout the meeting.

At one point in the evening, when the audience refused to be silent, the board was called into executive session. Then, pandemonium broke out.

On one side of the auditorium, a physical altercation occurred and Wasim Muhammad walked off the stage to help remove a woman who was put in a restraint by one of his sons. Then another ruckus erupted in the back of the auditorium.

Amid the chaos, the board adjourned into executive session, but officials eventually ended the meeting “due to a lack of quorum.”

“Wasim controlling the narrative again, huh?!” one woman shouted after the announcement was made.

There were no reports of arrests from the meeting, according to a Camden County spokesman.

After the meeting, Troy Archie, Wasim Muhammad’s attorney, said that his client won’t step down from the school board. Acknowledging that the subject is going to continue to come up, he said Wasim Muhammad will “have to overpower that with good deeds.”

“I think he’s been doing a good job, besides what’s being said here,” Archie said.

Activists and residents ‘fired up’ over Muhammad’s presence on board

Camden residents and community activists have been calling for Wasim Muhammad’s resignation since the $2 million settlement.

Prior to the meeting, community members held a press conference and said that Camden residents are “fed up and fired up.”

“We’re fed up because we will not tolerate collusion nor corruption in any seat of political office,” said Ronsha Dickerson of Camden Parents United, a community activist group. “We’re fired up because we’re standing on business for our children. We will leave our children with more than just problems to inherit. We will leave our children with demands for integrity, solutions and a village.”

Wasim Muhammad tried to speak at the meeting, but some in the crowd blew their whistles each time he attempted to speak.

From that moment, the tone was set.

As each member of the advisory board was called for their attendance, members of the audience yelled, “Shame!”

Muhammed showed no emotion as each speaker called on him to leave his position.

The case was brought to trial nearly 3 years after it was filed

Robinson filed a civil suit against Muhammed in September 2021. She disclosed her identity to the Philadelphia Inquirer after the case was settled. She claimed that Muhammad sexually assaulted her in the 1990s when she was his social studies student at Cooper B. Hatch Middle School. Muhammad was then known as Donnie Walker. The suit further alleged that he continued to sexually assault her for years, even after she and her family moved out of New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation in May 2019 that opened a two-year window for civil lawsuits with ties to sexual assault cases that had exceeded the state’s criminal statute of limitations.

Muhammad initially took a leave of absence, when the lawsuit became known. The governor called on Muhammad to step down after NJ Advance Media reported on the case.

In May, a jury rejected claims that Muhammad sexually assaulted the student. But it found Muhammad and the Camden City School District liable on five counts, including permitting “a sexually hostile educational environment,” “willful misconduct” and negligence in supervising Muhammad.

The case was settled in June before a jury could decide on the punitive damages. The school district did not assume any liability and Muhammed made no admission of wrongdoing, according to Archie, who questioned the jury’s findings.

“It’s always been our point that if there was not cause for sexual misconduct or sexual assault, I don’t really know how the jury found for intentional infliction of emotional distress,” he said. “Be that as it may, there’s still no legal authority to bar Minister Wasim from serving the Camden City school advisory board.”

Earlier this month, Muhammad announced that he would resume his duties. Last Thursday, on his first day back as president of the board, protests, boos and chants of “shame!” greeted him at an advisory board work session.

On Tuesday night, Jeffrey Fritz, Robinson’s lawyer, spoke before the board and read the parts of the trial verdict. He also read a statement from Robinson, who declined to attend the meeting, citing her mental health. Fritz described the end of the meeting as “very curious.”

“These people were elected and have a job to do and confront this issue,” he said, adding that it’s a tough issue that needs to be addressed. “For this to end abruptly like this is just a further humiliation and slap in the face to the people of this community and to my client.”

Fritz said that Robinson is thankful for the community support and delivered a message to the board on her behalf.

“Every day that he remains, you are making a statement that says morality, integrity and safety are not a necessity for those who serve in the highest administrative roles in Camden city schools,” he said, quoting Robinson’s statement. “I join today with other concerned citizens and the governor to beg of you to prioritize your allegiance to the safety and protection of the students in Camden.”