Yesterday, supporters of the Khalil Gibran International Academy (KGIA) (KGIA) and Debbie Almontaser held a rally in front of the Tweed Courthouse. It was an attempt to set the record straight as well as to make sure the DOE knows that community support for the School and for Debbie is strong.

I was asked to speak because I was a member of the KGIA Design Team. And, both as a member of the KGIA Design Team, and as a white Jewish parent from Brooklyn, I wanted to make clear that the stated mission and purpose of the school is the opposite of what it’s opponents are making it out to be.

The other speakers at the rally were: Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director of the
Greater New York Labor Religion Coalition; Mona Eldahry, Founding Director, AWAAM; Priscilla Gonzalez from the Center for Immigrant Families; Sara Said, sister of a KGIA student; and Reverend Clinton Miller from the Brown Memorial Baptist Church.

Reverend Miller, whose 1,000 member congregation supports KGIA, aptly pointed out that we can’t afford to be afraid of different cultures and that if we have a global economy, we need to have a global educational system. He also stated:

“The DOE should not allow conservative elements of the press to engage us in hysteria. We already know what happened when religious fundamentalists used hysteria to rally the citizenry – that’s what led to the unjust financing of the immoral War in Iraq.”

Rabbi Feinberg called KGIA a “gift to the children of New York City and all of our communities” describing it as a “vision of tolerance, cooperation, and community understanding.” He pointed out that the vision for KGIA came into being in the person of Debbie Almontaser who has, more than any other community leader in New York City, worked “tirelessly to bring communities together and foster mutual understanding and respect.”

Mona Eldahry asked, "Why all of a sudden is the Arabic language such a threat? Why has an Arabic-speaking educator and the principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy been pressured to resign because she chose to educate the public about an Arabic word using a definition that you will commonly find in any Arabic language dictionary?"

Priscilla Gonzalez criticized Randi Weingarten and the DOE for failing to stand by Debbie. She spoke about the need to celebrate schools like KGIA and educational leaders like Debbie that strive to educate NYC’s children in ways that reflect and respect their multiple cultures and identities.

Sara Said spoke about the importance of a school like KGIA for Arab-American and Muslim families. She spoke about her experiences in NYC public schools in which she and her friends were harassed, spit on and called derogatory names, even before 9/11. There were times, she said, when they had no choice but to skip lunch to avoid verbal and physical attacks. A school like KGIA would provide a safe haven that is not available to Arab-American students in other public schools.

As the speakers made clear, KGIA, rather than serving to isolate Arab-Americans or indoctrinate anyone, is a vehicle to counter the racist fallout from the 9/11 attacks by making it possible to build bridges with the Arab-American community and enable NYC students to learn about Arab culture.

It is because I saw KGIA as an opportunity to create a school based on inclusion, diversity and community that I joined the Design Team. In my role as a Design Team member, I was part of a small core group who focused on drafting the proposal that was submitted to the DOE. There is no one else as familiar with that proposal than us. I wrote some of it and I had a hand in editing all of it. So I can say with complete confidence that none of what the School’s opponents are saying is true.

Let me make it perfectly clear:

• KGIA is not and was never intended to be an Islamic School. It is a public school that focuses on the study of the Arabic language, culture and history.
• KGIA’s curriculum will follow all the NYC DOE standards for a public school.
• KGIA is not a school open only to Muslim or Arab children. The intent of the school was to have as diverse a population as possible – ethnically, racially, economically, religiously.

To counter the misinformation that is spreading all over, I think it’s important to quote directly from the materials we wrote. KGIA’s mission is to “graduate life-long learners who have a deep understanding of different cultural perspectives, a love of learning and a desire for excellence with integrity.”

KGIA is designed to:

• be “a multicultural oasis of community, connection and learning, preparing graduates to become ambassadors of peace and hope who are able to create bridges of understanding across cultural and other differences.”
• create a school culture that is “rooted in caring and trusting relationships that enable each student’s talents and contributions to be nurtured, acknowledged and celebrated. The entire KGIA community … will foster an inclusive environment in which multiple perspectives and differences are valued.”
• “prepare students of diverse backgrounds for success in an increasingly global and interdependent society.”
• provide a “diverse, supportive and collaborative learning environment in which students can reach their full potential and grow into knowledgeable and socially responsible global leaders.”
• “foster the critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills necessary for our students to become ambassadors of peace and hope, who are able to create bridges of understanding across cultural and other differences.”

And, the proposal also states:

“Today’s children face a world of polarization and disconnection. KGIA will provide our students with a place where they and their families can feel connected to a community that is focused on their success. KGIA’s graduates will develop a strong sense of pride in their own culture while developing an understanding and respect of other cultures. Through understanding their commonalities and appreciating their differences, they will become ambassadors within and outside the school community to bridge differences.”

I cannot even begin to tell you how much time and energy Debbie put into making this school a reality. It is her dedication, commitment and ability to attract other committed people that made the school possible. It is precisely because she is a woman of peace with ties to both the Arab and the Jewish communities that she is the perfect leader for this school. The school would not have been created without her and should be able to go forward with her back on board.

This school was Debbie’s vision. The DOE should never have accepted Debbie’s resignation. Instead, the DOE should have provided her with the support she needed and deserved.

(For those of you interested in hearing the full content of the speeches, they are on the AWAAM website).

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