Arabic-themed NYC school principal quits over criticism of 'intifada' T-shirts - Haaretz

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Last update - 05:18 11/08/2007

Arabic-themed NYC school principal quits over criticism of 'intifada' T-shirts

By The Associated Press

The embattled principal of an Arabic-themed public school in New York resigned Friday after coming under fire for failing to condemn the use of the word "intifada" on T-shirts.

Debbie Almontaser was slated to oversee the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn. The city's Department of Education says it remains committed to launching the school in September.

"This morning I tendered my resignation," she said in a statement. "I became convinced yesterday [Thursday] that this week's headlines were endangering the viability of Khalil Gibran International Academy, even though I apologized."

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A number of conservative Web sites, blogs and other publications have come out against the school. Some have questioned Almontaser's character and tried to paint her as a radical Muslim with a dangerous agenda.

She has said the school will be teaching culture, not religion. The academy, named after the famed Lebanese-American Christian poet who promoted peace, would be one of a few in the United States that incorporate the Arabic language and culture.

Almontaser's departure comes on the heels of an editorial flaying in the New York Post and an article this week that connected Almontaser to Arab Women Active in Art and Media.

That group is selling shirts imprinted with the words Intifada NYC. It shares office space with the Saba Association of American Yemenis, which counts Almontaser among its board members.

The tabloid asserted the shirts had a subversive meaning: The inflammatory tees boldly declare 'Intifada NYC' - apparently a call for a Gaza-style uprising in the Big Apple.

Almontaser, a public school teacher with 15 years of experience, told the paper that was a stretch and defined the word, which is most commonly associated with the violent Palestinian uprising against the Israelis.

"The word [intifada] basically means 'shaking off.' That is the root word if you look it up in Arabic," she said. "I understand it is developing a negative connotation due to the uprising in the Palestinian-Israeli areas. I don't believe the intention is to have any of that kind of [violence] in New York City.

She said the shirts provided an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society ... and shaking off oppression.

A message left on Almontaser's cell phone was not immediately returned.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on his radio show that she's certainly not a terrorist but called her resignation the right thing to do.

So far, 45 students have enrolled in the school, which will eventually cover include middle and high schools.

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1.	Great name for a school!	05:53	\|	Murray of Montreal	11/08/07

2.	The school provokes a `stench ` not a stretch	06:03	\|	Chick	11/08/07

3.	So are they still selling the t-shrits?	06:17	\|	Gina	11/08/07

4.	NYC doesn`t need an Arabic school	06:19	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

5.	Thank you Daniel Pipes :)	06:20	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

6.	Lynn	06:34	\|	Amir Khan	11/08/07

7.	to #3 THEY ONLY SUPPORT ISRAELI TERROR	06:52	\|	who cares	11/08/07

8.	Guess what?!	06:58	\|	Tony	11/08/07

9.	to Amir Khan	07:14	\|	Raj	11/08/07

10.	Chick: Nobody Could Say It Better!	08:03	\|	massaraksh	11/08/07

11.	what intifada "basically" means and what it actually means...	08:16	\|	don	11/08/07

12.	who cares	08:16	\|	Gina	11/08/07

13.	Dumb Stuff Arab Christians Do For Extremist Islamists	08:40	\|	Yosemite	11/08/07

14.	This is news? Who cares?	08:48	\|	Jake	11/08/07

15.	She meant Anti-fada	09:05	\|	Genuine Tosefta	11/08/07

16.	Yosemite	09:33	\|	Gina	11/08/07

17.	Jews in New York No. 4	09:44	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

18.	Arab Christians	09:48	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

19.	Palestinian Brit # 18	11:20	\|	Gina	11/08/07

20.	N0.19 And how many have you met?	11:57	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

21.	Pal Brit	12:03	\|	Hannah	11/08/07

22.	Gina	12:08	\|	Marcos	11/08/07

23.	Pal Brit	12:08	\|	Hannah	11/08/07

24.	Palestinian Brit, the Alistair Cooke...	12:11	\|	sean	11/08/07

25.	Idiotic Shirt Idea but how is it Almontaser`s fault?	12:22	\|	Michelle	11/08/07

26.	arabic nyc school	12:26	\|	scanadu	11/08/07

27.	Palestinian Brit	12:34	\|	Nik Miller	11/08/07

28.	Danger of Zionists	13:28	\|	Pierre	11/08/07

29.	FREEDOM OF SPEECH MY ARS!!!	15:24	\|	Bon	11/08/07

30.	Moslem Dominance or Jewish Occupation?	15:24	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

31.	Nothing to do with buildings...No23.	15:28	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

32.	Sean - increase in Christians?	15:30	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

33.	multiculturalism in Tel Aviv?	15:34	\|	Palestinian Brit	11/08/07

34.	multiculturalsm in Arab countries	15:43	\|	Doc	11/08/07

35.	Palestinian Brit	15:53	\|	Brant	11/08/07

36.	INTIFADA T-SHIRTS	15:54	\|	Brant	11/08/07

37.	Secular Arab Culture	16:10	\|	Truth in Humanity	11/08/07

38.	1984 has finally arrived	16:11	\|	W	11/08/07

39.	Two Words	16:18	\|	Salviati	11/08/07

40.	Palistinian Brit of course NYC looks like Tel Aviv	16:23	\|	Steve	11/08/07

41.	The Sufferage of Palestinian Brit	17:28	\|	Tex	11/08/07

42.	Poor Marcos	17:30	\|	Tex	11/08/07

43.	No freedom for moderates	17:33	\|	Frank	11/08/07

44.	Is PREJUDGING Becoming the Israeli Way?	18:08	\|	Double Click	11/08/07

45.	NY is a jewish land	18:14	\|	mehmet	11/08/07

46.	# 6 Amir Khan	18:56	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

47.	mehmet in constantinople	19:07	\|	frenz	11/08/07

48.	# 17 Palestinian Brit	19:20	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

49.	T-Shirts	19:27	\|	Shmuelshachor	11/08/07

50.	W # 38	19:30	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

51.	# 44 double Click	19:37	\|	Lynn	11/08/07

52.	Mehmet in Turkey	19:38	\|	Brant	11/08/07

53.	intifada school	19:47	\|	elliot	11/08/07

54.	re: mehmet	19:47	\|	Efox	11/08/07

55.	re: Frank	19:51	\|	Efox	11/08/07

56.	FALSE HANNAH ALERT! #21, 23	20:12	\|	Hannah	11/08/07

57.	it is not racism, it is observation Brant	20:33	\|	mehmt	11/08/07

58.	WE TAUGHT AMERICAN CULTURE	20:57	\|	TOBIA	11/08/07

59.	Palestinian Brit	21:08	\|	Gina	11/08/07

60.	Marcos	21:10	\|	Gina	11/08/07

61.	Palestinian Brit # 32	21:17	\|	Gina	11/08/07

62.	Double Click -- Repudiating terrorism is the American Way	21:23	\|	Gina	11/08/07

63.	Frank	21:27	\|	Gina	11/08/07

64.	Gina #3	22:44	\|	Chicago Arab	11/08/07

65.	MEHMET: My Reply	23:32	\|	Brant	11/08/07

66.	Chicago Arab	00:27	\|	Gina	12/08/07

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