Oak Park School Board Vice President Resigns Days After Lawsuit Prompts Superintendent’s Retirement
(Crystal A. Proxmire, March 11, 2026)
Oak Park, MI -Oak Park School Board Vice President Xondra Clark has announced her resignation from the Board. Effective March 6, the resignation came just four days after Superintendent Angel Abdulahad retired in the wake of a lawsuit alleging financial improprieties, human resource issues, and whistleblower retaliation.
Clark announced her resignation with a Facebook post stating:
After much thought and reflection, I have made the difficult decision to resign from my position on the Oak Park Board of Education, effective March 6, 2026.
Serving this district for the past 3 ½ years has been one of the most meaningful responsibilities I have taken on. I have shown up with dedication, faithfulness, and a genuine commitment to the students, families, and staff of our community. I am proud of the work I have done and the advocacy I have brought to this role.
However, the environment surrounding this position has, over time, become unhealthy for my emotional, physical, and mental well-being. At this point in my life, I must prioritize my well-being, finishing my education, my husband and most importantly, raising my child.
My decision to resign should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt, fear, or coercion. This decision is about protecting my peace and focusing on the things that matter most to me and my family.
I also want to be clear that I pursued this position with the purest intentions — not for political gain, prestige, or a title. My mission has always been to advocate for special education and the children who fall under that umbrella. My child, and so many other children like him, deserve to be seen, supported, and prioritized.
This will be the only statement I make regarding my previous position. I will not be commenting on anything ongoing. At this time, I am choosing to focus on my family, my education, and my peace of mind.
I remain grateful to the many educators, administrators, staff members, and community members who work every day to support the students of Oak Park. I wish the district and its students nothing but success moving forward.
I may be stepping away from this role, but I will never step away from advocating for children — especially those who too often go unheard.
The lawsuit preceding Superintendent Abdulahad’s retirement was filed by the District’s former Director of Business and Finance. She alleges a number of misdeeds including financial misappropriation and retaliation against her for reporting it to the school board. The accusations laid out in the lawsuit are outlined in this March 5 Oakland County Times story.
During the March 9 Board of Education President Paige Mattison said “I am disappointed that our Vice President decided to step away from this board.”
Mattison added “Over the past several weeks, I want to let you know what I’ve endured. I’ve had late night phone calls, threats, scare tactics, emails, seeing my name spread across social media and the news in ways that are simply not accurate. I want to be here.
“Our roles as board members is governance, not day to day operations of the district. We don’t have access to district funds in any capacity. I stepped into this position to serve our students. I hope moving forward we can refocus our energy on where it belongs, on the students in this district.”
The Board voted for Tiffany Scott to fill the Vice President position.
In response to the lawsuit, the district has denied most of the claims made by Farris-Foster as untrue. The defense also claims that “Plaintiff’s Complaint in this case was improperly filed for the purpose of seeking publicity and not a legal remedy,” and that the “Plaintiff’s claims fail, in whole or in part, because the allegations of the Complaint are false, inaccurate and grossly exaggerated.”
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