HOUSTON - An Islamic school is the target of a civil rights lawsuit accusing it of firing a teacher because his activities were "too American."
Claiming he was terminated last year "without warning," Harris County resident Husayn E. Abdullah-Aziz launched the litigation against Al-Hadi School of Accelerated Learning in Harris County District Court last month.
Houston federal court received the suit on Oct. 23.
According to the suit, in late May 2010 the school hired Abdullah-Aziz, an African American who practices Islam, as its lead teacher/coordinator for Islamic, Quranic and Arabic studies.
The parties entered into a written employment contract that was to last a year which required them "to provide the other with 30 days notice of intent to terminate the employment relationship."
Abdullah-Aziz says he was harassed throughout his employment with the defendant, which is a wholly Middle Eastern organization, because of his race and national origin.
According to the suit, the institution notified him that he "did not understand certain things because he was American."
The plaintiff alleges that he was singled out among the school's workforce.
Al-Hadi fired Abdullah-Aziz in June 2012 "due to restructuring," which he called in question.
The school replaced Abdullah-Aziz with someone of Middle Eastern descent, according to the lawsuit.
A jury trial is requested.
Attorney Mark William Gooden of Houston is representing the plaintiff.
Case No. 4:13-CV-3124
Teacher alleges Islamic school fired him for being 'too American'
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