The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
released a statement
welcoming a federal judge’s decision for its lawsuit against MCPS to proceed. U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby has ruled that certain claims within the lawsuit alleging violations of teachers’ First Amendment rights may proceed, while dismissing the employment discrimination claims.
In February 2024, CAIR
filed the lawsuit
on behalf of three teachers Anike Robinson, Angela Wolf, and Hajur El-Haggan, who were each disciplined and investigated by MCPS for expressing pro-Palestine views. CAIR Staff Attorney Ahmad Kaki expressed that the teachers were exercising their First Amendment rights and did not disrupt classroom activities.
Griggsby also dismissed the First Amendment violation claim against the county school board, writing that the board is ‘immune from the suit,’ according to a ruling reported by
Ashlyn Campbell in Bethesda Magazine
. Additionally, Griggsby also dismissed the claim of a First Amendment violation related to the pro-Palestinian clothing El-Haggan wore.
In June,
CAIR announced the filing of another lawsuit against the Montgomery County Board of Education
, challenging Sligo Middle School’s rule prohibiting teachers from displaying the Palestinian flag but allowing the display of other flags, including the flag of Israel.
