Fort Worth school board meeting interrupted by protester yelling about Sharia law
The Fort Worth Independent School District’s board meeting Monday was broken up by a protester yelling about Sharia law.
The protester stormed into the board meeting yelling “We need to stop Sharia law in Texas!” He was escorted out of the board meeting by security officers.
The meeting occurred shortly after a Fort Worth school district principal was reassigned after old posts of hers surfaced on social media. Shayma Alzubi was named the principal of Western Hills High School in May, but days later the school district reassigned her after online backlash over her old social media posts. Alzubi had posted about the Black Lives Matter movement and Sharia law. Sharia is “the set of Islamic laws that encompass both the religious and secular practices of Muslims,” according to the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.
Monday night’s disruption occurred during an already contentious meeting, as supporters of Alzubi repeatedly butted heads with the Fort Worth school board. The two groups disagreed over the interpretation of rules governing speech during board meetings.
Numerous supporters of Alzubi were in attendance at Monday’s meeting, a workshop.
The supporters were instructed not to address Alzubi’s reassignment during Monday’s meeting, because it was not on the agenda. Pete Geren, the president of Fort Worth’s school board, explained that because Monday’s meeting was a special meeting, public comment had to address items listed on the agenda. Supporters argued that addressing Alzubi’s situation was a matter of free speech.
“If people raise personnel matters, I’m going to ask that the mic be silenced and the person forfeit the rest of their time,” Geren said.
At times, the school board turned off the microphone or interrupted speakers speaking in support of Alzubi.
“I think that we should not be getting rid of excellent principals who the families in the school have confidence in,” said Jane Collins.
Geren responded: “Ma’am, I hate to interrupt you again, but ask that you please stick with the items that are on the agenda.”
A few public commenters thanked the board for the district’s reassignment of Alzubi. At times, the school board auditorium broke out into shouts between the groups who supported Alzubi’s reassignment and those who opposed it.
