NJ.com – July 10, 2025:
Ex-Westfield School Board Member Wins Legal Challenge over Pro-Palestinian Posts
Article originally publsihed July 10, 2025 from nj.com
A former Westfield school board member did not violate ethics rules by sharing pro-Palestinian views online, a New Jersey appeals court has ruled.
Sahar Aziz, a former member of the Westfield Board of Education, faced a complaint filed with the New Jersey School Ethics Commission over her personal social media posts and academic advocacy in support of Palestinian rights.
The complaint was filed by Westfield resident Stephanie Siegel, who claimed that Aziz’s public criticism of Israel and Zionism shared through tweets and an academic letter violated the state’s School Ethics Act.
Siegel argued that Aziz’s statements, including support for boycotts of Israel, were discriminatory and could foster bias against Jewish students and families in the district.
Aziz is a law professor at Rutgers University and the first Arab and Muslim American woman to serve on the Westfield board.
She maintained that her comments were made in her personal and academic capacity, not as a school official.
The commission agreed, ruling in December 2023 that there was no connection between Aziz’s speech and her duties as a board member.
The state Appellate Division affirmed that decision this week.
The court supported the commission’s conclusion that Aziz’s views were expressed in a personal capacity and did not reference school board business.
The ruling also underscored the principle that elected officials are ultimately accountable to voters, not ethics panels, for their personal beliefs expressed outside their official roles.
Siegel, who brought the complaint with support from The Deborah Project, argued that Aziz’s failure to include disclaimers and her public profile as a board member blurred the line between personal and official speech.
The Deborah Project is a legal organization dedicated to upholding and defending the civil rights of Jews experiencing discrimination in education.
However, the court found no evidence that Aziz presented her posts as representing the board.
Aziz completed her term on the board in April 2024.
Attorneys representing Siegel and Aziz did not immediately respond to requests for comment.