Fort Worth Independent School District reportedly promoted a former Muslim principal candidate who had posted in support of Sharia law and the Black Lives Matter movement to an influential districtwide role.
Shayma Alzubi, a Muslim woman working for Fort Worth ISD, was set to become the new principal of Western Hills High School until old social media posts resurfaced showing her advocating for Sharia law, mask mandates, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The posts sparked backlash from the community, prompting the district to reassign Alzubi to a different position.
However, a new report details that Alzubi was offered a $130,000 position to become the district’s ‘Principal Program Administrator,’ a role that would support campus administrators across the district.
“… the district has identified a leadership opportunity that aligns with Shayma Alzubi’s demonstrated strengths as an educator and administrator while advancing her career as well as strategic priorities across the district,” a Fort Worth ISD press release stated. “Ms. Alzubi has been promoted to the position of Principal Program Administrator, a districtwide leadership position focused on supporting campuses in key areas of academic acceleration. That includes College, Career, and Military Readiness pathways (CCMR), the development and execution of high- quality master schedules, and leadership development initiatives for campus administrators.”
Despite being offered the position, Alzubi rejected it, writing in a July 9 declaration to the court that she applied for the principal position and that is the job she wants.
“I do not wish to take this alternative position as it is a made-up job that no one else in the District has. I applied for the position of Principal and that is the job I was hired to do. That is the job I have worked for and so that is the job I want,” Alzubi wrote.
Alzubi initially filed a lawsuit with an attorney from the Council on American-Islamic Relations representing her. However, the case was dismissed without prejudice by the presiding judge because her counsel did not include local representation.
Her counsel then added Fort Worth attorney Jason C.N. Smith and refiled her motion for a preliminary injunction July 9, asking a federal judge to reinstate her as the principal for Western Hills High School for the upcoming school year.
Alzubi is also asking the court to award her damages and require Fort Worth ISD to pay her attorney fees and litigation costs.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pitman will now hear the case.
