A New Jersey teacher accused of pulling a student's hijab sues an Olympic fencer

https://www.npr.org/2022/10/19/ [login to see] /new-jersey-teacher-sues-ibtihaj-muhammad
U.S. Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad is facing a defamation lawsuit from a New Jersey teacher over allegations the Olympian ruined the teacher's reputation and career over an incident involving one of the woman's students.

Last year, one of Tamar Herman's second grade students at Seth Boyden Elementary School, a 7-year-old girl who is Black and Muslim, reported that Herman had yanked her hijab from her head while at school. The girl came home upset and told her mother.

Muhammad's relation to the family is unclear, but the Olympian got wind of the case. She recounted the young girl's story with her own social media post (that has since been deleted), calling the teacher's actions abuse. The post went viral.

From there, the local Maplewood community was in uproar, the New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy weighed in, and the Council on American Islamic Relations' New Jersey branch also called for Herman's firing. Herman was even criminally investigated over the case. Prosecutors declined to press charges.

Herman alleges her reputation was ruined, she was threatened and bullied, and placed on leave by the school district, her lawsuit against Muhammad states. Herman, who is Jewish, says she also faced antisemitic vitriol.