(RNS) — Days after naming a Muslim woman as principal of a North Texas high school, conservative backlash prompted the district to reassign her and open an investigation.
Interfaith religious leaders, district parents and educators are now calling for Shayma Alzubi’s reinstatement, saying the Fort Worth Independent School District capitulated to a hateful online smear campaign against her faith.
The district announced Friday (May 22) that Alzubi had been promoted to principal of Western Hills High School, posting a picture of her wearing a hijab in a social media post that has since been deleted.
Alzubi’s appointment went viral after the far-right group Libs of TikTok and other right-wing social media bloggers resurfaced posts and images showing her support for Black Lives Matter, Palestinians and immigrants. The accounts called on people to show their opposition by contacting the district.
At a press conference Thursday, advocates said Alzubi’s social media posts were misrepresented by a coordinated anti-Muslim campaign.
“Instead of drawing a firm line against harassment and intimidation, the district embraced it,” Sabrina Ball, a Fort Worth ISD parent, said at the news conference. “Some of the rhetoric directed at her was openly anti-Muslim — not policy disagreement, not ordinary criticism — openly hateful, dangerous rhetoric.”
The school district said in a statement on Tuesday that Alzubi’s soci …