A federal judge has ruled against ordering Fort Worth Independent School District to reinstate a principal previously reassigned over pro-Palestinian and pro-Sharia social media posts.
In his decision, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Pittman wrote that the district is “well within its right to put the overall safety of its community over a single individual’s professional preferences.”
Shayma Alzubi was announced as the principal of Western Hills High School earlier this year.
However, shortly after the announcement, social media posts made by Alzubi promoting Black Lives Matter, pro-Palestine sentiments, and a clarification on “what ‘Sharia’ actually means” for Muslims surfaced.
This was followed by extensive public backlash.
Fort Worth ISD subsequently decided to reassign Alzubi to another position and investigate whether her posts were in line with the district’s social media policy.
“After review, it was determined that the posts may not align with the district’s social media policy and expectations for staff. Therefore, the candidate will be reassigned pending the outcome of an investigation.”
A subsequent lawsuit was filed by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on Alzubi’s behalf, asking a federal judge to order the district to reinstate Alzubi to her original position at Western Hills.
The motion was denied by Pittman, who wrote that “Alzubi is not a scapegoat, nor has she lost her freedom of speech.”
“[T]he evidence demonstrates that Alzubi was not fired, disciplined, demoted, or deprived of any benefit of employment. Instead, she was reassigned to a higher-paying and arguably less stressful position.”
The decision states that “the Court concludes Alzubi’s First Amendment Retaliation claim is unlikely to succeed on the merits” and “Alzubi fails to carry her burden to establish the three other factors for a preliminary injunction.”
The controversy surrounding Alzubi and CAIR comes after Gov. Greg Abbott designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations late last year.
“The Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world’,” said Abbott. “These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas.”
While Pittman’s order denies Alzubi immediate reinstatement, the case will continue.
