Ex-principal at Arabic school sues

An educator who helped create New York City’s first Arabic-themed public school sued the city, saying officials forced her to resign after a furor over her public comments.

Debbie Almontaser said in the lawsuit that her constitutional rights were violated when she was pressured to resign in August from the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn. She had been criticized for not condemning the use of the word “intifada” on a T-shirt made by a youth organization.

At a rally outside U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Almontaser listened as lawyers, educators and two city councilmen criticized the city and called for her to be reinstated as principal.