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Wasim Muhammad looking on as people call on him to step down from the Camden City School District Advisory Board. (P. Kenneth Burns/WHYY)
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Wasim Muhammad stepped down as president of the Camden School Advisory Board on Friday.
In the resignation letter provided by Muhammad’s attorney, Troy Archie, Muhammad said he was stepping down “with a heavy heart.”
“I think it bears repeating that after my long journey through the legal system I was found innocent of the egregious allegations made against me and exonerated by a jury of my peers,” Muhammad wrote. “Nevertheless, even with that exoneration in a court of law, I believe I have become a distraction through the blatant misinformation that has been spread by a small group of critics. I believe that my presence is shifting the spotlight away from the incredibly important objectives of educating our students and improving the outcomes for the children in the school district.”
Muhammad sent his resignation to state-appointed Camden City School District Superintendent Katrina T. McCombs.
McCombs had joined the chorus of voices calling for Muhammad’s resignation last week. She confirmed in a statement that the district received Muhammad’s resignation.
“As we recently welcomed students back to school for their first day, I want to assure our students, families, and staff that the district remains committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for all,” McCombs said. “We hope today’s news will help our community come together and begin to heal as we refocus our efforts and priorities on what matters most — providing a bright future for our students.”
Muhammad has faced repeated calls for him to step down after he and the school district reached a $2 million settlement with Salema Hicks Robinson, who alleged Muhammad sexually assaulted her in 1991 when she was his student in middle school.
“Our work is only half done,” Jeff Fritz, Robinson’s attorney, said in a statement. “We must ensure that the Camden City School District’s policies and training are brought up to date and followed to ensure that children are protected so that this never happens to another student in Camden.”
In August, more than 100 people came to a school board meeting to protest Muhammad’s continued presence as president.
Muhammad has repeatedly denied the allegations against him in the lawsuit, which Robinson filed in September 2021. A jury found in May that Muhammad, whose name at the time of the alleged incident was Donnie Walker, was not guilty of sexual assault. But the jury found the school district and Muhammad responsible for “willful misconduct,” negligent supervision and permitting “a sexually hostile educational environment.”
Gov. Phil Murphy called for Muhammad’s resignation when the lawsuit allegations were made public.
According to the board’s solicitor, a board member can be removed only if they are criminally convicted, miss three consecutive meetings, or live outside of the district.