Mumbai school principal asked to resign over ‘this’ reason

The principal of Somaiya School in Mumbai, Parveen Shaikh, has been requested to resign by the school management allegedly due to her posts on social media platform X regarding the issue of Palestine and the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Shaikh, who has been associated with Somaiya School for 12 years and served as its principal for the past 7 years, has refused to resign stating, “I have given one hundred per cent to the organization.”

A report published by web portal OpIndia on April 24 highlighted Shaikh’s likes and comments on posts that expressed pro-Palestinian sentiments and sympathy for Hamas via her X handle.

Confirming that she was summoned by the management following the publication of the report, Shaikh stated, “In a meeting held on April 26, the management told me that it is a tough decision for them to make, but this association was no longer tenable and they asked me to resign.”

Despite pressure from management representatives, Shaikh remained firm in her decision not to resign, emphasizing her belief in freedom of speech and expressing disbelief that her expression would provoke such a response.

While acknowledging the support and positive feedback from the management regarding her role in the school’s growth, Shaikh highlighted the lack of formal protocol or official policy on political remarks in public by employees of the Somaiya institution.

The trust has refrained from commenting further, stating that they were unaware of the sentiments expressed until it was brought to their notice. However, a section of parents has expressed strong support for Shaikh, emphasizing her integrity, professionalism, and contribution to the school’s development.