(BALTIMORE, MD, 12/7/23) – On Friday, December 8, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to hold a news conference with representatives from other organizations announcing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint against Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for discrimination against a Muslim Arab middle school teacher.
WHAT: News Conference Announcing EEOC Complaint on Behalf of MCPS Teacher
WHEN: Friday, December 8 @ 10:30am
WHERE: 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, at the corner of the intersection of Hungerford Drive and Manakee Street
CONTACT: CAIR Pro Bono Attorney Rawda Fawaz, 202-742-6420, rfawaz@cair.com; CAIR Staff Attorney Zanah Ghalawanji, 202-742-6420, zghalawanji@cair.com; CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, 410-971-6062
BACKGROUND:
CAIR has filed a complaint with the EEOC against MCPS alleging that the school system placed Hajur El-Haggan, a Muslim teacher of Egyptian national origin at Argyle Middle School, on administrative leave because of her email signature tagline, which expressed support for Palestinians.
Although El-Haggan’s colleagues all had similar speech in their email signatures, she was the only teacher MCPS reprimanded. Just prior to being placed on leave, an unknown individual tore the teacher’s Palestinian flag from her car. El-Haggan filed a police report with the Montgomery County Police Department.
CAIR’s complaint states in part:
“Until the present situation with Ms. El-Haggan, MCPS had never taken adverse action against any other employee who chose to include political speech in their email signature. Ms. El-Haggan was informed that including any political or non-political quotes in an email signature was against the MCPS Employee Code of Conduct, yet this policy was never enforced against any of Ms. El-Haggan’s colleagues who did the same thing. Moreover, the way Ms. El-Haggan has been treated belies MCPS’s long standing Restorative Justice philosophy and approaches.”
The complaint further points out that the County’s approach to El-Haggan’s situation “was in direct opposition to their standard approach,” and they did not “approach Ms. El-Haggan for a conversation, mediation, or any attempt at understanding,” concluding that “[t]he way in which Ms. El-Haggan was treated was far from Restorative Justice and is in stark contrast to the county’s regular practices and treatment of other employees.”
“The way Ms. El-Haggan was treated in comparison to her colleagues is a clear example of discrimination. Ms. El-Haggan took part in the same conduct as her colleagues at school and in the county, but she was the only one placed on administrative leave,” said CAIR Pro Bono Attorney Rawda Fawaz. “It is no coincidence that only Ms. El-Haggan, who is visibly Muslim and Arab, was the only one who faced consequences. The discriminatory treatment was so clear, we had no choice but to file a complaint.”
“Preserving the sanctity of education requires safeguarding the right to free sppech in public schools, which is an essential cornerstone for fostering critical thinking, diverse perspectives, and the growth of informed, responsible citizens,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “We are committed to protecting these rights for all Americans including those who face unfair retaliation and consequences over their advocacy for basic Palestinian human rights.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END
CONTACT: CAIR Pro Bono Attorney Rawda Fawaz, 202-742-6420, rfawaz@cair.com; CAIR Staff Attorney Zanah Ghalawanji, 202-742-6420, zghalawanji@cair.com; CAIR MD Office Director Zainab Chaudry, 443-251-2132, zchaudry@cair.com