As of Wednesday, Oct. 15, Willingboro Township Public Schools is under new leadership.
Assistant Superintendent Marti Hill-Parker steps into the shoes of Superintendent Malcolm X. Outlaw, who was suspended in a unanimous vote of school board members Monday, Oct. 13.
As of Wednesday, Board of Education members wouldn't disclose their reason for placing Outlaw on paid administrative leave for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year.
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Outlaw earlier this week declined to comment on his status to a reporter with this news organization, and he didn't respond to a second contact on Tuesday.
Apparently for personnel privacy reasons, the resolution putting Outlaw on leave only identifies the subject of the decision as “Employee 6737.” The period of leave is defined as through June 30, 2026, or until further board action, “whichever comes first.”
“During this period the employee shall ... not have contact with district staff, cabinet members or Board members nor access to district property, records or systems unless expressly authorized by the Board Presidents or designee,” the administrative leave resolution stated.
Immediately after that vote, school board members approved a resolution making Hill-Parker “acting superintendent.”
During a board meeting Sept. 22, board members' legal counsel said that Outlaw had filed a notice of a tort claim against the school board.
Legal counsel didn't specify what the notice claimed. Board members at that time considered suspending "Employee 6737," but that motion failed on a divided vote.
On Wednesday, Hill-Parker posted a letter regarding her appointment.
“I know that changes of this nature may raise questions and emotions,” Hill-Parker wrote. “Please be assured that our foundation remains strong and that our work continues with integrity.”
Hill-Parker promised updates “in the coming weeks.” She also thanked Outlaw for “dedicated service.”
Outlaw is in the last year of his contract. He began at Willingboro as an interim superintendent, when Superintendent Neely Hackett resigned in 2022 for another job. His base salary for the current 2024-2025 budget year was listed as $208,000.
Board members are: President Debra Williams, Vice President Mrs. Daisy Maxwell-Cisse, Mike Bird, Nehemia Claude, Leah Coleman, April Maxwell-Henley and Denise King.
Members Maxwell-Cisse, Maxwell-Henley and Coleman are standing for new terms in the Nov. 4 election. Three board seats are open.
There are two other candidates on the ballot: Kecia Parham Cook and Aliya Crawford.
Emails were sent to all board members for comment Wednesday morning. On Thursday, the office of board attorney Lester E. Taylor III emailed a response, stating, "The Board of Education and the Administration cannot comment on personnel matters."
On Tuesday, district spokesman Steven Silliphant was asked for information about the job status of Outlaw.
“At this time, we are not issuing a comment on the matter,” Silliphant wrote. “We will communicate further if and when it’s appropriate.”
On Monday, a reporter for this news organization requested a copy of any tort notice filed by Outlaw. It has not been released yet.
New Jersey requires that, before filing a lawsuit against any government agency, a tort notice be filed with that agency to explain the claimed grievance.
Under state law, a tort notice is a public document and must be produced if requested.
(This story was updated Friday.)
Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times.
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