Oak Park Superintendent Retires Amid Lawsuit

The retirement of Superintendent Angel Abdulahad followed a nearly four-month paid suspension that began on November 18, 2025. The school board placed him on leave pending an investigation, appointing Assistant Superintendent Shana Murphy as the acting superintendent to ensure leadership continuity. A lawsuit filed by the district's former Executive Director of Business and Finance, Sharrece Farris-Foster, brought forward multiple allegations against Abdulahad. These accusations include retaliation for whistleblowing and several instances of financial impropriety. Farris-Foster's lawsuit claims she was instructed to overstate available funds by more than $1 million in a budget projection and that Abdulahad directed her to increase his district-issued credit card limit by $25,000, a request she deemed unethical and in violation of board policy. The suit also alleges misuse of the district's credit card, with missing receipts for purchases and the acquisition of untagged electronic equipment, including MacBooks and iPhones, from non-approved vendors. Farris-Foster claims that after she reported this potential misconduct, her pay was suspended and her salary was reduced by over $15,000 while on approved medical leave. Abdulahad, a 1994 graduate of Oak Park High School, was appointed superintendent in 2022 after serving in the same role for Madison District Public Schools. The Oak Park Board of Education and Abdulahad have denied most of the allegations in the lawsuit as untrue. Following an investigation by an independent investigator hired by the school board, Farris-Foster was terminated on December 8, 2025. The lawsuit, which is still working its way through the Oakland County circuit court, contends her termination was illegal retaliation.