Miryam Qudrat has a son in the Los Angeles Unified School District, so she understandably has a vested interest in whether schools reopen and how they reopen.
Qudrat, who favors reopening, recently shared her perspective with the L.A. Times — and apparently found herself on United Teachers of Los Angeles’ naughty list:
NEW: Miryam Qudrat is accusing UTLA of conducting racial opposition research on parents who speak to press about wanting schools to reopen after she received an email from a UTLA researcher asking if she's Iranian/how she racially identifies after she spoke to L.A. Times. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/3yzSpuovyA
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 4, 2021
Qudrat points to this Facebook post from UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz, where she claims UTLA has been stalked on social media by "wealthy white and middle eastern parents."
Qudrat is outraged, and feels she was racially targeted by UTLA for being Middle Eastern. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/mNPj8IBNFC— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 4, 2021
We reached out to UTLA for comment, inquiring as to why they are asking parents how they racially identify, what their class is, etc, after they speak to the media. We received this response. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/BYGcnypwPc
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 4, 2021
So, their response basically boils down to “the L.A. Times is only talking to privileged parents who want to reopen schools and ignoring Black and Brown families.”
Qudrat, who has a 7th grader in LAUSD, is outraged. She feels UTLA is trying to pin white & Middle Eastern families against Black & Latino families.
"Their conclusion is if you want schools to reopen right now, then you are racist," she tells me.
Story with her at 10pm @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/lyWZ9ZBKvD— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) March 4, 2021
Based on the evidence presented, Qudrat’s outrage is entirely justified.
I'm a middle class black family that pays a hell of a loving property taxes and WANT #ReopenSchools NOW! When and why #UTLA has made this a race issue is deflecting! If LA county moves into the red tier they have no more excuses but to open!
— Kim Thomas (@kimmietee2000) March 4, 2021
It's about helping the kids y'all. https://t.co/a72H3n9Yf9
— Jon Lustig (@jonlustig) March 4, 2021
This is seriously messed up. https://t.co/S4J1rPnlV9
— Lynn MacDonald (@hooligan1966) March 4, 2021
This is a truly insane story about the LA teachers union https://t.co/crOhv85wld
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) March 4, 2021
Really bad look @UTLAnow https://t.co/csH8bUHy60
— Black, White & Grey (@NBfromLB) March 4, 2021
UTLA is such a farce. The kids deserve better. I feel bad for them.
— Taylor (@the_haug) March 4, 2021
Ban public sector unions. https://t.co/Rkj6IGOTzE
— AG (@AGHamilton29) March 4, 2021
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