A case can move forward to restore the reputation of Tamar Herman, a veteran teacher in the South Orange-Maplewood School District in New Jersey, after online accusations by Olympic fencer and author Ibtihaj Muhammad that she discriminated against a Muslim second-grade student by asking her to remove her hijab.
The Lawfare Project announced on Monday that the New Jersey Appellate Division had rejected a motion for dismissal and upheld the defamation lawsuit the group had filed in support of Herman.
“These accusations—published to Ms. Muhammad’s hundreds of thousands of social-media followers—led to widespread antisemitic attacks, physical threats and irreparable damage to Ms. Herman’s career and personal life,” the Lawfare Project stated.
“The malicious defamation campaign against Ms. Herman was a calculated, antisemitic effort to harm a respected member of the community, motivated by her Jewish identity,” said Benjamin Ryberg, COO of the Lawfare Project. “Ms. Muhammad must be held accountable for the significant trauma she has inflicted.”
