The former principal who spent two years working to found an Arabic-themed public school in Brooklyn only to resign before it opened its doors wants her job back, and she may sue the city to get it.
At a news conference on the City Hall steps Tuesday, Debbie Almontaser said the Department of Education forced her to resign as principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy because of the controversy swirling around the school ever since it was announced. Some advocacy groups and a handful of local officials joined Almontaser at the news conference to support her.
She left in August after some groups criticized her for failing to condemn the use of the "intifada," an Arabic term commonly used to refer to the Palestinian uprising against Israel, on T-shirts.
"As ... the person who envisioned the school, I believe I am the person most qualified to be its educational leader," she said in her first public comments since resigning.
An interim principal, Danielle Salzburg, took over at that time. Her appointment drew criticism because she is Jewish and does not speak Arabic. The Education Department was accepting resumes through Tuesday for consideration for a permanent replacement. School officials were not sure when a new principal would be appointed. Almontaser said she wants to re-apply for the job.
Almontaser said that right-wing groups that oppose the school engaged in a "smear campaign" to portray her and the school as an Islamist Madrassa that would foster anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment among its students. She criticized media reports about teh school and her, including articles in the New York Post and the New York Sun.
The school's classes are based on the standard Regents curriculum. It includes courses in Arabic language and culture, but not religion because as it is a public school. New York City has more than 60 dual-language schools.
Back in Augist, New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) said the school's children could be "indoctrinated" and warned in a statement that "establishment of an Arab school is a misguided and dangerous idea."
"[Almontaser] said that 'intifada' means to 'shake off.' We know that 'intifada' means the killing of innocent men, women and children," Hikind said in a statement. "Is this what we want taught in our public schools? Is this how we want New York children to be indoctrinated?"
Almontaser said that the critics of the school refused to acknowledge that the school is firmly secular and was designed to prepare students for careers in international affairs, cultural studies and diplomacy.
In September Almontaser said she requested meetings with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, but neither has she said neither has responded.
Education officials disputed Almontaser's claims.
"In August, Ms. Almontaser said she resigned as principal ... to protect the stability of the school and give it 'the full opportunity to flourish,"' Department of Education spokesman David Cantor said in a statement. "Chancellor (Joel Klein) agreed with her decision, accepted her resignation, and now considers the matter closed."
Education officials also said Almontaser was welcome to re-apply but that she would not get the job back in light of her original decision to resign.
The school is named for Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese-American Christian poet who advocated peace (read his works). It opened in September with sixth graders and will expand with one additional class every year to end up with 500 to 600 students in grades 6 to 12. A small number of public schools in the city are themed, covering areas from the arts to social justice to Chinese language.