Brooklyn borough President Marty Markowitz is backing Boerum Hill’s controversy-plagued Arabic-language school and its ousted principal.
Markowitz is slated to join other elected officials and a coalition of community groups today in supporting the Khalil Gibran International Academy and calling for the city to reinstate ousted Principal Debbie Almontaser.
“I wouldn’t be opposed to it if it did happen,” said Markowitz of the call for Almontaser’s return to the school. “She was dumped on, and she doesn’t deserve it.”
Markowitz praised Almontaser for her work over the past 20 years in conflict resolution and diversity in Brooklyn.
“I myself have witnessed her work, bringing Muslims and Jews and other religions together,” he said. “My motivation in being there ... is to let her know how much she’s appreciated.”
The sponsoring coalition includes the Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media (AWAAM), which produced “Intifada NYC” T-shirts.
Almontaser was quoted as defending the use of the word “intifada” on the shirts and interpreting “intifada” as a “shaking off” of oppression, glossing over its link to the violent Palestinian uprising.
Markowitz called Almontaser’s statement “an injudicious comment. ... Educators and journalists and politicians - we’ve all said things that we didn’t think out.”
Aides to Markowitz later said he was not familiar with AWAAM and that he had been invited to the press conference by members of the Council of Peoples Organization.
At one point yesterday, Markowitz wavered on whether to attend today’s press conference, staff said.
Markowitz’s decision to attend may be controversial among traditional Jewish voters, part of his base of political support.
“I love Marty. He’s a great friend of the Jewish community,” said Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Borough Park). “I totally disagree with him.”
But Markowitz said his position should not be controversial.
“The Jewish community wants peace,” Markowitz said. “This school will put us a step closer to this.”
He cited the need for Arabic-language speakers in the U.S. foreign service.
“How many times have we read that a lot of [our] embassies have very few Arabic speakers? It’s deplorable,” he said.
State Sen. Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) and City Council members Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan) and John Liu (D-Queens) are also expected to attend the press conference.
