Palestinian-American student sues school after teacher allegedly called him a ‘terrorist,’ then the school found a policy violation — but took no action

A Californian teenager is suing his school district after an English teacher allegedly called him a “terrorist” in front of his classmates. The family says the school administration made matters worse by repeatedly dismissing his complaints.

As The Independent reports, the incident occurred at Cypress High School (part of the Anaheim Union High School District). Yousef Abdullah was 14 at the time. In February 2025, he went to his English teacher and asked him why he hadn’t been accepted into an AP class. In front of the class, the teacher allegedly said, “I don’t negotiate with terrorists, that’s people under 18.”

Abdullah’s case is that the comment amounted to racial discrimination and left him feeling humiliated and intimidated on account of his Muslim faith and Palestinian background. His solicitor, Samer Habbas, says the effects have been long-lasting. The family says Abdullah now goes by the more anglicised name of Joseph because he doesn’t want to draw attention to his ethnic background.

A staff member reportedly treated it as a joke

His attempts to report the incident at school clearly went nowhere. When Abdullah went to the school counsellor, the staff member reportedly treated it as a joke from Tropic Thunder and repeated it back to him. The response was just as dismissive when he went to an assistant principal. The administrator reportedly called it a phrase and said it hadn’t been aimed at Abdullah at all.

His parents eventually got involved, and the Anaheim Union High School District then launched an investigation. In March 2025, HR Director Amie Maya reportedly sent a letter stating that investigators had found evidence of a comment that breached the school board’s policy on abusive language.

That didn’t produce the outcome the family had hoped for. They say there was no meaningful sanction, no staff members were dismissed, and Abdullah was left in a toxic environment. The case also alleges that school staff told other students about Abdullah’s diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

His family maintains that the disclosure led to him becoming the butt of jokes and exacerbated his anxiety and social withdrawal. He became so anxious about being identified as Arab or Muslim that he ultimately became reluctant to go out in public at all. He subsequently transferred to another high school in Orange County.

The case is going forward

The case has now cleared a major legal hurdle, with an Orange County Superior Court judge reportedly denying the school district’s motion to dismiss. The case can therefore go forward. The district has declined to comment on the litigation.

The family is seeking redress over how the school dealt with Abdullah’s complaints, as well as protection against discrimination. It’s not just about what the teacher allegedly said; it’s also about how school staff allegedly treated a pupil who came forward to report it.