Muslim civil rights group reiterates call for MCPS, educational institutions to uphold free speech
The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today strongly condemned a letter issued by Sherwood High School Principal Tim Britton reprimanding and censoring a student’s senior quote in the 2025 yearbook expressing solidarity against Israel’s ongoing genocide of Palestinians.
The principal’s letter, distributed to the school community and shared with CAIR by several concerned parents from different backgrounds, mischaracterized the student’s personal expression as inappropriate and harmful — providing stickers to cover the quote, offering a refund and expressing that the student “displayed serious contrition” and “had apologized to the entire graduating class publicly” being among the measures taken by the school.
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” which reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
In a statement, CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:
“We are deeply disturbed by Sherwood High School’s decision to suppress a student’s peaceful expression of solidarity with Palestinian human rights amid Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and decades long illegal occupation of Palestine. The First Amendment protects all students’ right to speak out on political and human rights issues — including support for Palestinian lives. Decontextualizing a quote and equating it with harmful conduct absent credible justification sends the chilling message that your school only welcomes certain perspectives. This is not only a violation of free speech but an act of censorship that undermines the development of socially conscious, critically engaged students.
“We call on Montgomery County Public Schools to immediately retract the letter’s harmful implications, issue a public apology to its diverse student body, and affirm its commitment to fostering an educational environment where diverse views — including Palestinian advocacy — are respected and protected.”
The slogan in question, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” is used by some advocates for Palestinian human rights activists to express their desire for Palestinians and Israelis to live together in a single state with equal rights for all.
CAIR, which is not representing the student and their family, is calling on Sherwood High School and MCPS to take the following steps:
- Publicly retract the letter’s implication that speech supporting Palestinian rights is inappropriate or harmful.
- Issue an apology to all of its school community adversely impacted.
- Affirm students’ First Amendment rights to engage in political expression and advocacy without fear of censorship or retaliation.
- Adopt clear guidelines to ensure student speech on controversial and important global issues is protected — not silenced.
The civil rights organization is encouraging concerned parents, students, and community members to contact the school district and demand accountability and reform.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil liberties, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kim Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9292