‘Politically motivated’, says Mumbai school principal sacked for liking posts on Palestine

Parveen Shaikh had a 12-year association with the Somaiya School and became its principal seven years ago. (Express Photo)

The management of Somaiya School in Mumbai on Tuesday announced it has “discontinued” the services of principal Parveen Shaikh “to ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised”, days after she was asked to quit reportedly for liking social media posts on the Palestine issue and the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Parveen Shaikh, principal of Somaiya School in Mumbai’s Vidyavihar area, described her “termination” from the post as “completely illegal, drastic and unwarranted” and expressed shock over the “politically motivated” action, PTI reported.

The school management said her personal social media activities were not aligned with the values cherished by the educational institute.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening by the school, it was stated, “Recently, it has come to our attention that the personal social media activities of Ms Parveen Shaikh, who holds a leadership position at The Somaiya School, have been starkly misaligned with the values we cherish… We strongly support the right to freedom of expression, yet we recognize that it is not absolute and must be exercised with responsibility and respect for others… Given the gravity of concerns, and after careful consideration, the management has discontinued Ms. Parveen Shaikh’s association with Somaiya Vidyavihar to ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised…”

The statement added, “We believe it is crucial to safeguard the impressionable minds of our youth, and ensure that they are nurtured in an environment that upholds the highest standards of integrity and inclusivity.”

Over a week ago, the principal was asked to resign by the school management following a report published on the web portal of OpIndia, mentioning Shaikh’s likes and comments via her X handle, on posts that were pro-Palestine and sympathetic to Hamas, according to a report by the Indian Express.

After the article was published on April 24, the management held a meeting with her on April 26 and asked her to resign.

Emphasising freedom of speech in a democracy, Shaikh refused to resign, stating that she has given her hundred per cent to the organisation. The management then sought a written explanation from Shaikh on May 4.

Expressing her disappointment, Shaikh who had a 12-year association with the Somaiya School and became its principal seven years ago, said Tuesday, “I was shocked to know the news of my termination from social media even before receiving it from the management. The termination notice is completely illegal and based on defamatory lies peddled against me. My work as a school principal has been exceptional and my termination for such reason is wrongful and unjust.”

She continued, “I am disappointed that inspite of my hard work, dedication and sincere contribution to the school’s growth over 12 years, the management chose not to stand by me in the face of this vitriolic public vilification campaign against me, and instead fell prey to it and took this drastic and unwarranted action. This action appears to be politically motivated. I hold firm belief in our legal system and the Indian Constitution and I am currently considering my legal options.”

(With inputs from PTI)