Baltimore County school board member apologizes, meets with Muslim leaders over Facebook post
Mosque leaders met Wednesday with Baltimore County school board member Maggie Litz Domanowski, who has come under fire for reposting a social media meme that was criticized as anti-Muslim.
Domanowski publicly apologized before the meeting and was given a tour of the Islamic Society of Baltimore.
During the meeting, Domanowski and Muslim faith leaders discussed what they described as the harm caused by a Facebook post she shared. A student also spoke about being bullied because of her faith.
The post featured Linus, the Peanuts character, holding a sign that read, "If you fear MAGA will take away women's rights, then you should learn about Sharia law."
Domanowski shared the post and commented, "Not wrong."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the post, saying it promotes false claims about Islam. The organization also offered to teach Domanowski about the Islamic faith.
Domanowski accepted the offer, leading to Wednesday's meeting.
CAIR leaders said addressing stereotypes requires a collective effort and accountability, adding that the meeting was a first step toward building greater understanding in Baltimore County.
"I apologize when someone comes to me and I can tell that I've hurt their feelings and I did something wrong, and I can take that in myself and apologize for that," Domanowski said. "How anybody wants to interpret that, I can't control. We all need to be a little nicer to each other."
Sharia law refers broadly to a body of Islamic religious and ethical principles that guide the practices and conduct of Muslims.
"We're all people, and coming together and talking face to face, that makes the real difference," Domanowski added.
CAIR accepted Domanowski's apology Wednesday and welcomed her to the Islamic Society of Baltimore, where they shared stories about faith and the impact of religious stereotypes.
"Even though there are mistakes that happen, there are misunderstandings, when we sit down together and engage in dialogue, it truly is an understanding for us to move past the hatred, past the fear mongering, past the bigotry," said Zainab Chaudry, the director of CAIR's office in Maryland.
Domanowski said she plans to apply what she learned to how she works with students and addresses bullying moving forward.
"It actually strengthened my resolve in anti-bullying. It's not just Muslims," Domanowski said. "A lot of kids are suffering and it's not getting reported. They're not being acknowledged and addressed the right way."
"One time someone called me a terrorist just because I was wearing a hijab," a 13-year-old student said.
Domanowski is also up for re-election to the Baltimore County Public Schools Board in November.
