The families of three teenagers have filed a lawsuit against the School District of Philadelphia, claiming violations of their First Amendment rights related to punitive actions taken against them and another student after they entered a Muslim prayer room at the Academy at Palumbo and prayed in Hebrew.
According to reports, the students and their families felt compelled to leave the district following the incident due to experiencing significant verbal abuse both in person and on social media.
The lawsuit, initiated on August 6, asserts that the boys were punished prior to any investigation taking place and without the due process that should be afforded to students. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims that the school administration disregarded evidence that supported the boys’ innocence.
Of the four boys involved, two are Jewish, but only one Jewish student’s family is a plaintiff in this legal action.
It is undisputed that the boys entered a room designated as a “quiet room” for Muslim prayer as indicated by the signage. However, the lawsuit questions whether students were ever officially informed that the room was intended solely for Muslim students.
The boys noticed the presence of a Palestinian flag on the door visible from outside and observed Muslim decorations once they entered the room.
Upon entering the designated prayer room, the boys prayed in Hebrew. One boy chanted “Am Yisrael Chai” while another attempted a handstand. Following their departure, accusations arose from other students who claimed that the boys had “trashed” the prayer room; accusations the boys vehemently deny.
The conflict escalated among the student body, resulting in numerous nonviolent confrontations after the boys left the room.
Reports indicate that the three students were suspended for bringing the fourth student, who was no longer enrolled at the school, onto campus. More serious allegations were made against the boys, which they categorically deny. These claims included that the school’s principal, Kiana Thompson, informed the mother of the former student that he engaged in “sexually stimulated or suggestive dances,” destroyed posters, and expressed hatred towards Muslims.
The lawsuit asserts that one of the boys merely removed a sign from the wall and placed it on the floor without causing any damage.
Lori Lowenthal Marcus, the legal director of The Deborah Project, is representing the families in the lawsuit. She stated that the rumors about the boys were unfounded and led to their decision to relocate from the district.
Marcus criticized the actions of the school district, citing that a teacher from another school publicly recounted unfounded stories of transgressions by the boys during a school board meeting. This teacher, she explained, knew that no thorough investigation had yet been launched but chose to share her narrative nonetheless. This public commentary occurred live and included the boys’ names, further exacerbating their distress.
The incident that sparked the controversy took place on June 11, 2024. According to the lawsuit, tension had been escalating prior to that date. In the aftermath of attacks that occurred on October 7, 2023, a Muslim student reportedly threatened one of the Jewish students, stating he “will kill [him] and everybody in Israel,” and displayed pro-Hamas sentiments in class.
Two days following the incident in the prayer room, the families of the four boys sought to arrange a meeting with Principal Thompson. However, they were informed that she would only meet with one student and his parents, who had an already-scheduled appointment. Security was then asked to escort the other family members off campus.
When a parent expressed urgency regarding the threats to their sons’ safety, Thompson reportedly laughed and remarked, “Well, there’s multiple sides to that story,” as noted in the lawsuit.
Further elucidating the implications of this case, Marcus expressed concern over the existence of the prayer room itself, suggesting that it represents a troubling segregation within a public high school. According to her, any non-Muslim student who enters the space to engage in a prayer outside the assigned religion would face punishment, which she views as a direct violation of constitutional rights.
“There is a clear space in a public high school into which obviously any non-Muslim who dares to come in and pray a Jewish prayer, or I suppose a Christian prayer, would be punished,” she asserted, emphasizing the discriminatory nature of the arrangement.
Marcus aims for the lawsuit to foster a more inclusive environment within the school district while holding accountable those responsible for the events that prompted the families to feel unsafe.
“There’s a lot of healing that has to go on, and the school district needs to ensure that the people they put in positions of leadership understand their legal obligations to their students,” Marcus added.
Monique Braxton, the deputy chief of communications for the school district, commented that the district refrains from discussing active or pending lawsuits.
The suit affirms that the students no longer felt safe attending school, believing that continued exposure could result in dire consequences.
Each of the boys eventually left the Academy at Palumbo, along with their families following the distressing events.
Marcus summarized the impact of these occurrences on the families, describing how they were traumatized by fears for their sons’ safety, stating, “These families weren’t shattered, because they are all strong, loving families — but they were traumatized by the idea that their sons were in physical danger in their own communities.”
The families felt the school’s response was inadequate; instead of providing support, they felt blamed for the incident. This reaction reportedly led them to uproot their lives and relocate to areas where they had no established community connections.
“Families that lived in the same place for decades had to move, put their boys in a totally different school in the middle of high school, away from friends and family,” Marcus recounted. “I had many conversations with the families, many of which were trying to calm them down and help them believe there is a way out of this and that there would be an end to this trauma.”
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