Judges Criticize Handling of Arab School Principal

Federal appeals judges yesterday made comments suggesting they thought the city overreacted in its handling of the resignation of the principal of its first Arabic-themed public school as they heard arguments aimed at letting her get her job back.

Two members of the three-judge panel were sharply critical of the way the city reacted to a newspaper interview Debbie Almontaser conducted before she stepped down in August as interim principal at the Khalil Gibran International Academy.

A city lawyer, Drake Colley, conceded that what Ms. Almontaser said in the interview was correct and that a Department of Education spokesperson who monitored the interview thought it went well. A judge, Jon Newman, asked: "Does the city really think she was properly disciplined?"

Mr. Colley said the city handled the case as it did because the Brooklyn school was a lightning rod for negative press and because of a potential for disruption that was fueled by her comments.

Ms. Almontaser, a longtime New York educator and a Muslim of Yemeni descent, said she was forced to resign because of criticism she endured after discussing in the interview the word "intifada."

Education officials denied forcing Ms. Almontaser to resign and refused to consider rehiring her. Ms. Almontaser sued, and a judge last year rejected her First Amendment arguments, saying she made her remarks in her capacity as an employee of the city.

Although the appeals court did not immediately rule yesterday, Mr. Newman and Barrington Parker Jr. repeatedly questioned the city's intentions in its handling of the uproar.