Almontaser Must Rescind False and Defamatory Accusations

STOP THE MADRASSA ATTORNEYS DEMAND ALMONTASER IMMEDIATELY RETRACT BLATANT LIES AND FALSE AND DEFAMATORY PUBLIC STATEMENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 27 2007, New York — Citizens for American Values in Public Education and Stop the Madrassa announced today that Stop the Madrassa attorneys have formally demanded retraction of spurious public statements made by Dhabbah “Debbie” Almontaser falsely claiming that Stop the Madrassa members have engaged in “stalking” of the former KGIA principal-designate.

The false and defamatory statements by Ms. Almontaser have been published by several news outlets, including the New York Times (see, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/principal-of-citys-arabic-school-says-she-was-forced-out/). STM’s attorneys asserted today that Almontaser’s accusation is an “unadulterated lie,” accusing STM members of a criminal offense in the state of New York (see, e.g., New York Penal Code § 120.50). The STM attorneys go on to point out that such a false public accusation is defamation per se, and that “this blatant lie has now been repeated” by Ms. Almontaser’s attorney in the federal lawsuit recently filed on behalf of Ms. Almontaser.

In recent months, Citizens for American Values in Public Education, has stepped up its calls for closure of KGIA, as well as expanding its fight nationwide to halt the imposition of radical Islamist agendas in curricula, Arab language programs, history classes, textbooks, teacher training, and charter schools.

Stop the Madrassa and Citizens for American Values in Public Education are calling on all Americans to stand in solidarity with those using their First Amendment rights to speak out responsibly about their concerns regarding the growth of stealth radical Islamism quickly moving throughout our country and particularly in our American schools.