Libel history surfaces in Texas probe of Islamic schools seeking vouchers
New evidence shows the Texas Comptroller’s office targeted nearly 50 private schools based on allegations from a man with a UK defamation judgment, though all schools were ultimately approved for the taxpayer-funded program.
New legal filings in a lawsuit against the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts reveal that Sam Westrop, a man previously ordered to pay libel damages in the United Kingdom for falsely accusing an Islamic TV channel founder of terrorism, helped launch a state investigation into nearly 50 Islamic private schools applying for the state’s voucher program. Westrop shared allegations linking school leaders to extremist groups, such as Hamas, and the Chinese Communist Party, with the Comptroller’s office. This contributed to delays in admitting these schools to the voucher program, which uses taxpayer dollars for private education.
Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initially moved to exclude schools with alleged ties to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) or the Chinese government. Paxton ruled the agency could exclude such schools, and Hancock later pushed for the removal of the Houston Quran Academy, citing alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. The Comptroller’s office contracted third-party investigators, Reuben Katz and Lara Burns, to review the histories of the schools. Despite initial delays and the removal of Bayaan Academy from the program after Westrop’s input, the Comptroller ultimately approved all investigated schools.
The plaintiffs are seeking class-action certification to prevent future discrimination, arguing that religious liberty should not be contingent on litigation. The state opposes the class-action status, arguing the schools received the relief they sought and that the claim is outside the court’s jurisdiction. Deposition testimony from Murl Miller, the Comptroller’s chief counsel, contradicts earlier state claims that the investigation was a broad review of schools accredited by Cognia. Miller confirmed the agency specifically targeted nearly 50 schools based on information received from Westrop and other sources as early as last summer.
The investigation occurred amidst heightened anti-Muslim rhetoric in Texas, including Governor Greg Abbott’s designation of CAIR as a foreign terrorist organization, a move currently being challenged in court. Westrop, who was hired by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, continued raising allegations on podcasts and publishing research on the Middle East Forum. Miller stated in his deposition that he did not verify Westrop’s background before accepting his input, noting that the investigators hired by the state confirmed his credentials.
Hancock’s efforts to remove schools persisted even after the Comptroller’s internal research determined the accusations of terrorist ties were not accurate. Miller described Hancock’s letter calling for the removal of the Houston Quran Academy as a surprise that contained mistakes and misstatements. The plaintiffs argue that the inclusion of their schools in the program is not guaranteed long term and hope the class-action suit will change the processes that allowed the agency to delay their admission in the first place.
