Erstwhile principal and school founder Debbie Almontaser made the front page of The New York Times today. The article is about how a woman who attempted to found a school based on cultural and religious understanding was forced from her position as the principal thanks to the resistance of spirited opponents.
Almontaser founded the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which she envisioned as a dual language --English and Arabic--school that emphasized the cultural accomplishments of Middle Eastern countries. Its purpose was rooted in the events of 2001 and a desire to increase inter-cultural dialogue between separate religious groups.
The principal's plans at inter-faith understanding were confounded by public and neighborhood opposition, with one columnist calling for the school to be met with pitchforks and flaming torches. Almontaser was eventually replaced after a contre-temps involving the use of the word "intifada."
The founding of the Khalil Gibran school wound up being a lodestone for Americans' feelings about Muslims. It attracted concern, legitimate thoughts, and outright bigotry in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The Times piece is worth reading in its entirety.
