A federal judge has denied a request to reinstate Shayma Alzubi as principal of Western Hills High School in Fort Worth after the district reassigned her following online backlash over social media posts.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman ruled Tuesday that Alzubi was not harmed by the reassignment. He noted she was moved to a higher-paying and arguably less stressful district-level position. In his order, Pittman wrote that Alzubi “is not a scapegoat, nor has she lost her freedom of speech.”
Fort Worth ISD announced Alzubi as the new principal of Western Hills High School in May. Shortly after the public announcement, which included a photo of Alzubi wearing a hijab, her past social media posts drew significant online criticism. The district then reassigned her pending an internal investigation.
District officials have said the reassignment was driven by safety concerns for Alzubi, staff and students amid the public response. The district later offered her a Principal Program Administrator role with a salary of about $130,000 — roughly $10,000 more than the Western Hills principal position. Alzubi declined the offer and sought a court order returning her to the campus job.
Pittman found the reassignment did not amount to an adverse employment action under the law. He noted Alzubi’s contract allowed the district to reassign her and that a reasonable employee would likely view the higher-paying role as a promotion. The judge also said the district was within its rights to prioritize community safety over an individual’s preferred assignment.
Alzubi’s lawsuit, which alleges violations of her First Amendment and equal protection rights, remains pending. The district has filed a motion to dismiss the case. An internal investigation by Fort Worth ISD did not find that her posts violated district policy or state law.
Western Hills High School is scheduled to begin the new school year next month. The district has named an interim principal for the campus.
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