ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. – What started as an investigation into an Anne Arundel County teacher has turned into a discrimination lawsuit and a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Ms. Saera Suhail, a Muslim, South Asian woman of Pakistani origin, is a special education teacher at North County High School. She’s been working there since 2018. Suhail and other educators received an email on October 25, 2023, that included a link to “resources”, provided by the county, to help talk about what she called the “Israel-Hamas War”.
Suhail was offended by the email and disturbed by her colleague’s choice of using the phrase, “Israel-Hamas War”, given that by October 25th, the bombardment in Gaza had killed at least 6,500 Palestinians and wounded over 17,000.
Suhail worried that a young student, who didn’t know much about the conflict, would assume this was a military battle like any other war they learn about in history class when in reality it was indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including women and children.
Suhail believed the label, “Israel-Hamas War” would cause a discriminatory erasure of Palestinians, cause stereotyping of Arabs and Muslims as terrorists, and would alienate any Muslim student who had a personal connection to the issue.
Suhail was further disturbed when she reviewed the “resources” included in the email, saying they were inadequate. She says many of the links reportedly provided explained U.S. policy towards issues, rather than providing historical facts or the results of large-scale human rights investigations.
Ms. Suhail also took the time to review the “resources” included in the document her colleague linked in her email. She was further disturbed at their inadequacy. Many of the links were by organizations that focused on explaining U.S. policy towards issues, rather than providing historical facts or the results of large-scale human rights investigations. She also noticed there were little to no resources that provided a basic overview of the Palestinian and/or Muslim perspective, while most of the resources were skewed towards the positive relationship the United States has with Israel.
The lawsuit lists detailed concerns that Suhail had with each of the resources provided.
On October 27th, Suhail met with the colleague who sent the email and told her that she was deeply hurt by its content. Suhail says her colleague listened and understood where she was coming from but allegedly did not want to talk about it further.
On November 1st, Suhail went to the principal. She told the principal that the email was overall biased, and discriminatory, and resulted in serious negative impacts on her and people in the school community who share her identity. When Suhail told the principal she wanted to send a follow-up email pushing back against the initial message and resources, she says the principal told her, “I’m not going to say yes, but I’m also not going to say no.”
Suhail also felt that the email created a hostile work environment for her. So, to get the school to take steps to remedy her complaints, she “replied all” to the email on November 6th, stating they should be mindful of the rhetoric used, including the words conflict, war, complex, and Israel vs. Hamas.
Ms. Suhail says shortly after she sent the email, she was called into the principal’s office and reprimanded for sending the email to the email list without approval. Her principal directed to “cease and desist” from sending out emails to all staff. She also told Ms. Suhail that the Central Office would contact her. Later that same evening, the principal sent out an email reminding staff about the school policy of getting approval and other criteria to follow when sending out emails to the staff.
On November 16th, Suhail received an email from the Central Office informing her that she was under investigation for her conduct and asking that she submit to an investigative interview since she sent the email to the all-staff listserv without prior approval.
The lawsuit provides multiple emails from other white, non-Muslim colleagues who had responded to all staff but were not reprimanded for doing so.
Since filing the lawsuit, Suhail and her two attorneys have not received a response from her employer.
“Aside from an apology, accountability from the county, and an end to this investigation, some of my hopes with the outcome of my situation are to ensure all teachers are being treated with equity and all policies are proportionately applied,” Suhail told The BayNet.
She also wants the resources to be reevaluated and revamped.
“Biased-based language should not have a place in the school system. The county needs to go for a more restorative approach since this is what our country focuses on, instead of partaking in a punitive measure. The emphasis should be on listening to each other in a manner that fosters understanding and tolerance,” says Suhail.
The following documents were provided to The BayNet that include more information about the lawsuit filed.
● The official press release, in which CAIR announced the EEOC complaint against AACPS over discrimination against me, a Muslim teacher: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-to-announce-eeoc-complaint-against- maryland-school-district-over-discrimination-against-muslim-teacher/
● The full EEOC complaint: https://www.cair.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/EEOCComplaint.pdf
The BayNet contacted the school district for comment. Bob Mosier, Chief Communications Officers for AACPS responded saying they do not comment on matters of litigation.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
Sounds like she needs to find another job
Here we go again. You are American or you are an illegal immigrant. As an American you are entitled to your own views as long as you do not force it upon another. I want to hear about her teaching agenda.
This comment not only lacked logic & sense, but failed to have any real point whatsoever. You want to hear about her teaching agenda? It’s a high school in Maryland; her agenda was to teach students with special education needs & get paid. What do you think her agenda was? Staging a coup on the Capitol?
Above all do not teach about the 1948 Nakba (sarcasm)
Most school systems and work places have the biased view or are lobbied to do so especially in this very issue.
Unequal treatment because this is a hot issue.
If you’re entitled to your views, this applies to individuals; dies not mean the local government or private institutions are able to spread biased guidelines to their staff and then not hold everyone to the same standard. She did the right thing technically it is discrimination.
And yes, nakba is a fact. Your religion or political view do not change it. Most of the world outside of the U.S. know the relevant facts very well.
Israeli propaganda is mainstream here in the US and has been for decades. Most Americans just don’t know any better or are too afraid to say anything even when war crimes are committed in front of entire world.
She wore a Free Palestine shirt during a web meeting with parents. I found that offensive but did not complain about it to her bosses.