A federal judge denied Shayma Alzubi’s request to return as Western Hills High School principal, finding emergency reinstatement wasn’t warranted.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal judge has denied former Western Hills High School principal Shayma Alzubi’s request to be immediately reinstated to the position, ruling she failed to meet the legal requirements for a preliminary injunction in her lawsuit against Fort Worth ISD. 

In a memorandum opinion issued Tuesday, July 29, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman denied Alzubi’s renewed motion for a preliminary injunction that would have required Fort Worth ISD to reinstate her as principal before the start of the 2026-27 school year. 



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Alzubi, who has worked for Fort Worth ISD since 2013, was selected in May to become principal of Western Hills High School after serving in several administrative roles within the district. The district publicly announced her appointment before removing the announcement days later following online criticism centered on years-old social media posts about her Muslim faith, Palestinian heritage and political views.

Fort Worth ISD temporarily reassigned Alzubi while it investigated whether her online activity violated district policies. According to the court’s opinion, the investigation concluded her social media activity did not violate district or state policies. The district later offered her a Principal Program Administrator position instead of placing her at Western Hills High School. 

In her lawsuit, Alzubi alleges Fort Worth ISD, Superintendent Peter Licata and Chief of Staff Louis Kushner violated her First Amendment rights by reassigning her because of protected speech. She also alleges discrimination based on her religion and national origin in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

“The evidence demonstrates that Alzubi was not fired, disciplined, demoted, or deprived of any benefit of employment,” Pittman wrote. “Instead, she was reassigned to a higher-paying and arguably less stressful position.” 

According to the opinion, Alzubi remained employed by Fort Worth ISD, retained her salary and benefits, and was later offered a Principal Program Administrator position that carried a higher annual salary than the principal position she sought. The court also noted her employment contract reserved the district’s right to assign or reassign her duties.

The judge rejected Alzubi’s argument that the reassignment and public investigation damaged her reputation, finding that investigations and non-punitive transfers generally do not constitute adverse employment actions under precedent. Pittman also determined Alzubi failed to demonstrate irreparable harm warranting emergency court intervention.

The court found that any employment-related losses could potentially be addressed through monetary damages if Alzubi ultimately prevails on her claims. The opinion also states that requiring Fort Worth ISD to remove an interim principal and reinstate Alzubi just days before the school year would disrupt school operations and would not serve the public interest. 

“Alzubi is not a scapegoat, nor has she lost her freedom of speech. Alzubi made posts on her personal social media account, which received a negative public response upon the public announcement of her new role. The backlash not only puts Alzubi in danger, but also her coworkers and students,” the opinion says. “Further, the threats prevent the District from being able to effectively conduct its vast duties. Alzubi is within her right to post whatever she wants, but the District is also well within its right to put the overall safety of its community over a single individual’s professional preferences. “

WFAA has reached out to Fort Worth ISD and Alzubi’s attorney with a request for comment.