Speeding Mom, School Board Member to Cop: I’m a School Board Member

by Shore News Network

SOUTH ORANGE-Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad, a school board member is the latest public official in New Jersey to be caught on camera disrespecting police after a roadside traffic stop.

Photo of Lawson published by the The Village Green – of Maplewood and South Orange.

Lawson-Muhammad was caught speeding at 37 mph in a 25 mph residential zone.

“I’m Stephanie Lawson, I’m on the school board member and I’m a community member in this town, I’m sorry if I was speeding,” she said, opening the dialog between her and the responding police officer. After failing to provide current credentials to the officer she was issued a summons for speeding and not having a valid insurance card.

Lawson began crying to the officer explaining that her daughter is going to be late for her PARCC test at school.  The officer told Lawson he would try to be as quick as possible with the traffic stop.


South Orange Police Chief Kyle Kroll.

At one point Lawson appeared to be having an anxiety or panic attack, breaking down before being asked if she needed an ambulance by the officer.

“No, I don’t need an ambulance,” she snapped at the officer. “That’s an insult.”

At the end of her confrontational interaction with the respectful police officer, Lawson.

After being issued the ticket, she told the officer, “I’ll call Sheena [Sheena Collum, Village President] and your skinhead cop chief.”   Lawson was referring to Chief Kyle Kroll.

Civic Privilege?

In an article in the local online news website, Village Green,  Walter Fields of the Black Parents Workshop, BOE member Stephanie Lawson-Muhammad “attempted to exercise her civic privilege during a routine traffic stop.”

You appear to be using an ad blocker

Shore News Network is a free website that does not use paywalls or charge for access to original, breaking news content. In order to provide this free service, we rely on advertisements. Please support our journalism by disabling your ad blocker for this website.