And in New York, the founding principal of the city’s first public Arabic-language school has filed a federal lawsuit against Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city’s Education Department and the Schools Chancellor. Debbie Almontaser was forced to resign shortly before the school opened after she was quoted explaining that the word “intifada” literally means “shaking off” in Arabic. On Monday, City Council member Charles Barron and other supporters of Almontaser gathered to protest the city’s handling of the case.

Charles Barron: “There’s no reason why this sister shouldn’t be the head of a school that she started, she founded, she gave life to. This is absurd. This is xenophobia. This is racism. This is disrespectful. And we are standing here today solidly behind her to say that not only should she be considered, she is the most qualified, the best qualified, and should be put in that position immediately. Immediately.”

In her lawsuit, Debbie Almontaser charges that the city officials violated her right to free speech and “conspired to deny her the opportunity to regain her position as principal” of the school, the Khalil Gibran International Academy.