In First Round, Judge Rules Against Arabic School’s Ex-Principal

[Scurrilous]

Source: New York Times

<snip>

"A judge ruled yesterday against the claim of the founding principal of New York City’s first Arabic-themed school that her right to free speech was violated when she was forced out during a furor over comments she made in a newspaper interview.

In a preliminary finding in the case, Judge Sidney H. Stein of Federal District Court in Manhattan ruled against Debbie Almontaser, who had been principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn.

Ms. Almontaser sued Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, saying they violated her First Amendment rights by pressuring her to step down after discussing the history of the word “intifada” during an August interview. She had been criticized for not condemning the use of the word on a T-shirt.

The judge said that Ms. Almontaser had participated in the interview as school principal, and that since her employer was responsible for supervising messages to the public, her speech was not protected."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/nyregion/06arabic.html?ref=nyregion

[provis99]

1. so much for academic freedom

A principal in a school centered on Arab culture can't discuss the word "intifada"?

[MADem]

2. This isn't over at all--it was just a preliminary hearing. It's going to trial.

An argument was made to the judge that since the individual was "speaking" for her bosses, those bosses had the right to control what she said.

That's just the argument, though--all the judge is saying is "You may -- or may not -- have a point."

[DCKit]

3. The world would be a better place if radical Muslums understood the true meaning...

Of the word "intifada."

It wouldn't hurt the Xtianfascists (much) to learn something new, either.

[annabanana]

4. Well of course. Khalil Gibran was a famous terrorist.

:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[boricua79]

5. she got fired for not condemning a word on a t-shirt

This is not necessarily a free speech issue, since it wasn't her opinion. Sounds to me like her supervisors let her go because they were disatisfied with her actions as a principal vis a vis the t-shirt issue.

But, it sounds so petty. Intifada means "uprising". It can be about anything. And in the context of Arabs, it can mean uprising against corrupt Arab autocracies, uprising against Israeli occupation, uprising against radical Islamic rules and interpretations, etc.

Fired for not condemning the word "uprising"? Absurd!

[gorbal]

6. Perhaps all Muslims should be fired for not condemming 911

(sarcasm)