Dear Friends of FAIR,
On November 18, 2025, FAIR filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against the South Brunswick Board of Education in New Jersey. The complaint alleges violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stemming from the Board’s discriminatory treatment of Vice President Deepa Karthik following a personal social media post reflecting her Hindu identity.
Deepa Karthik, twice-elected to the Board and unanimously chosen as Vice President in January 2025, posted on her personal Facebook page that as a Hindu, she does not consume Halal products and questioned why Halal certification was extending beyond meat to items like tea, coffee, and rice.
Within days, a coordinated campaign emerged demanding that the Board take action against her. At a May 22nd Board meeting, more than a dozen speakers unleashed what can only be described as a verbal assault on Ms. Karthik, making explicit connections between her Indian nationality, Hindu identity, and her personal dietary choices. Speakers repeatedly invoked their community’s demographic strength and political influence, reminders of the “95% Hindu” makeup of their organizations and the percentage of district students they represented.
The Board’s response revealed a troubling pattern of preferential treatment. While allowing anti-Karthik speakers to exceed time limits and violate decorum rules without consequence, the Board later aggressively policed Ms. Karthik’s supporters—many of whom were also Indian and Hindu—by imposing stricter time enforcement and additional speaking rules not applied to the original complainants.
Most concerning, the Board held secret meetings with unnamed “community members” before announcing on June 4th that they were removing Ms. Karthik from the Policy and Education Committees, positions that are integral to her role as Vice President. The Board President even admitted these posts were made in Ms. Karthik’s personal capacity and “not a Board matter,” yet proceeded with punitive action anyway.
Notably, months earlier, Ms. Karthik had actively supported providing Halal food in district cafeterias and had championed Muslim and Jewish awareness initiatives, demonstrating her consistent respect for all faith communities in her official capacity. Yet the Board never shared this context with the angry speakers or acknowledged her track record of supporting religious accommodation for all students.
This case represents a clear instance of discrimination based on shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics protections that are explicitly covered under Title VI. When a Hindu woman expressing beliefs grounded in her Indian identity faces removal from elected responsibilities while those attacking her receive favorable treatment, this is prima facie discrimination in action.
FAIR’s complaint also alleges another Title VI violation: retaliation. The Karthik family, including their school-aged children, faced harassment both at school and online following this controversy. When Mr. Karthik raised these concerns with the Board and Superintendent, he received what he described as “audacious and condescending” responses. The Board’s continued dismissiveness toward the family’s complaints demonstrates an escalating pattern of retaliatory conduct.
FAIR’s action against the South Brunswick Board of Education demonstrates our commitment to defending constitutional principles wherever they are threatened, regardless of which identity group faces discrimination. Equal treatment under the law doesn’t just protect historically marginalized groups; it protects everyone, including Hindu Americans expressing their sincerely held religious and cultural beliefs.
This case also illustrates why FAIR’s American Experience curriculum is so urgently needed. Our curriculum teaches students to engage thoughtfully and respectfully across differences, to understand constitutional principles that protect all Americans, and to practice civil discourse even when addressing sensitive topics. Had South Brunswick citizens and administrators practiced these skills, this situation might have been resolved through peaceful dialogue rather than discrimination.
As we approach our country’s 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to recommit to the constitutional principles that protect every American’s right to express their identity without fear of discrimination. FAIR’s 250 for 250 Campaign invites 250 donors to invest in ensuring that the next generation learns and appreciates these vital principles. Your contribution advances curriculum implementation that equips students with civil discourse skills and constitutional literacy to ensure that people like Deepa Karthik never face discrimination for expressing their identity.
With gratitude,
Monica Harris
Executive Director, FAIR
Text FAIRFORALL to 707070 to donate to FAIR’s 250 for 250 Campaign.
FAIR is proud to celebrate the publication of Cis White Gay: The Making of a Gender Heretic (Bombardier Books, November 4, 2025), the debut memoir from 2023–24 FAIR Artist Grant recipient Ben Appel.
Born into a Christian covenant community in Maryland, Appel recounts a boyhood marked by guilt, faith, and gender nonconformity. After his family’s exile from their religious group, he faces a broader world no less punishing of difference. In adulthood, he finds purpose through recovery and “LGBTQ” activism, eventually earning a degree from Columbia University and entering the world of progressive advocacy—only to discover that ideological conformity can exist on both ends of the political spectrum.
In this unflinching and deeply personal memoir, Appel explores the costs of belonging and the courage of dissent. As he moves from one “sacred” community to another—from fundamentalist Christianity to elite academia—he confronts the dangers of dogma and the redemptive power of independent thought.
FAIR Educator Alliance 2025-2026
FAIR is launching the Educators Alliance for the 2025–2026 school year to equip PK–12 educators with the knowledge, strategies, and community support they need to foster schools that are more enriching and free from bias for students and educators.
Each monthly gathering will open with updates and presentations from FAIR staff, fellows, Chapter Leaders, and occasional guest speakers. Together, we’ll explore strategies for supporting educators, communities, and local chapters—and for advancing positive change at the local, regional, and national levels. Following presentations, participants will have space for open forum discussions to connect, seek advice, and coordinate on pressing issues in their schools. Breakout rooms will be divided into PK-6 and 7-12 grade levels with experienced teachers facilitating those conversations.
Meetings: First Thursday of each month at 7 PM ET via Zoom
Duration: 1 hour
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Picture halal certification as a giant cash machine, raking in trillions by slapping fees on everything from meat to tea, with the money flowing straight to certain groups. Poke at it—like that Hindu school board member did by questioning why rice needs a religious label—and those groups lash out, using their clout to crush free speech and fair treatment. In her case, it meant biased meetings, secret deals, and getting booted from key roles just to safeguard the profits. Keep feeding this beast, and you get more of the same: bullying that sidelines non-Muslims, ignores alternatives, and puts money and control over basic Western freedoms in diverse places. That's the problem, plain and simple—economic greed dressed as culture, trampling rights when threatened.
This story is confusing. In what context was Karthik objecting to halal food? And if the community is 95% Hindu, would Halal food be required at all? Please clarify