School Diversity Coordinator Dismissed Following Pro-Hamas Social Media Posts
A diversity and inclusion chief at a multi-academy trust that previously blocked a Jewish MP's school visit has been dismissed after publicly praising Hamas terrorists responsible for the October 7 massacre in Israel. Saima Akhtar, who served as diversity coordinator at the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF), lost her position following an investigation into her social media activity where she described Hamas militants as "heroes fighting for justice."
Controversial Comments and Immediate Fallout
Akhtar's inflammatory posts emerged just days after the October 7 attacks that claimed approximately 1,200 lives, predominantly civilians, with 250 others taken hostage in what represents the deadliest single-day slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust. In her social media commentary, Akhtar urged followers to disregard "media attempts to paint Israel as a victim" and declared that "Palestine is fighting back" against what she termed Israeli "apartheid."
The dismissed diversity official further escalated her rhetoric by comparing the situation to hypothetical Ukrainian attacks against Russia, stating: "This is an oppressed people standing up and fighting back. Just imagine if this was Ukraine attacking Russia? Heroes fighting for justice and their right to exist. Palestinians are no different."
Akhtar's dismissal occurs within the context of ongoing controversies surrounding the Cabot Learning Federation, which operates Bristol Brunel Academy. The multi-academy trust had previously cancelled a scheduled appearance by Labour MP Damien Egan, who serves as vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel, after facing planned protests from National Education Union (NEU) staff members and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Additionally, the CLF barred a speaker from Israeli-owned Check Point Software Technologies from its summer conference in July following similar pressure from union representatives. These decisions have prompted the trust to commission an independent review of the circumstances surrounding MP Egan's cancelled visit.
Defiant Response and Institutional Position
Following her dismissal, Akhtar maintained a defiant stance, insisting she was not a "leader" within the academy hierarchy and suggesting that other decision-makers who retained their positions simply hadn't been discovered making similar comments. When confronted with the possibility that these individuals might have kept their jobs because they hadn't published posts supporting the October 7 attacks, Akhtar responded: "No, you just didn't find them. Anyway, I hope you sleep well knowing your 'journalism' got someone sacked."
The diversity coordinator's LinkedIn profile described her approach as "intersectional, trauma-informed, and unapologetically anti-racist, with a strong commitment to trans rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and global solidarity, including support for Palestinian human rights." Her social media activity further revealed she had described Israel as a "settler colony" and expressed abandonment of belief in a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Broader Implications and School SafeguardingBeyond her role as diversity coordinator, Akhtar sat on the council of Bristol Brunel Academy, a body designed to hold school leadership accountable regarding academic quality, staff wellbeing, and student safeguarding. Her dismissal raises significant questions about institutional responsibility and the boundaries between personal political expression and professional educational roles.
MP Damien Egan, whose original visit was cancelled, eventually visited the school secretly in February after pro-Palestinian protesters threatened to target his trip over his links to Labour Friends of Israel. The MP acknowledged people's right to protest but cited "security considerations" for parliamentary members, describing his eventual visit as "fabulous" despite the controversy.
Union Perspectives and Institutional Reviews
Jon Redford, the NEU's Bristol representative, claimed staff had "no intention" of getting Mr. Egan barred from his visit, suggesting there had only been discussion about wearing keffiyeh scarves and watermelon badges in solidarity with Palestine. Redford stated that staff "wanted to show their opposition to a supporter of a genocidal regime coming to their school" and demonstrate "that he needn't expect complete support for his views."
Despite these controversies, an Ofsted inspection of Bristol Brunel Academy found "no evidence of bias" in the day-to-day running of the school. However, the CLF's agreement to commission an independent review of the decision to cancel Mr. Egan's visit indicates institutional recognition of the need for thorough examination of these sensitive matters.
The dismissal of Saima Akhtar represents a significant development in ongoing debates about political expression within educational institutions, the boundaries of professional conduct for diversity officers, and institutional responses to highly charged international conflicts within school environments.
