Elham Asaad Buaras
A Pennsylvania school board member has resigned after posting that Islam gives women “zero rights” and claiming Muslim women cannot receive an education, drive or do anything without a man’s permission.
Luke Berardelli, a member of the Beaver Area School District board in Beaver County, submitted his resignation on September 29, less than 24 hours after facing calls to step down at a contentious board meeting.
“Nothing is more important to me than the health and safety of my children. Because of that, please accept my immediate resignation,” Berardelli wrote in his resignation.
The school board is expected to formally consider the resignation at its next meeting and begin the process of filling the vacant seat.
The controversy began with a Facebook post Berardelli said was prompted by the case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts woman accused of killing her three children.
In the post, Berardelli wrote, “maybe the Islamic faith is the correct way to go considering they give women zero rights at all.”
He continued: “Cover your body. Shut your mouth. And you can’t do anything unless a man says so. No education. You’re not allowed to drive. The whole shebang!”
The remarks prompted criticism from residents, including those who described them as anti-Muslim and sexist. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also called for his resignation.
At a Beaver Area School Board meeting on September 28, students, parents and community members attended amid calls for Berardelli to leave the board.
Five of the board’s eight members called on him to resign, according to local reports.
Berardelli initially refused to step down, saying his comments had been deliberately exaggerated and were intended as “hyperbole” and sarcasm rather than a statement of his own beliefs about Islam or women.
“I will not apologise for beliefs I do not hold,” he said, according to local reporting.
He argued that he was making a point about extremism and maintained that criticism of his comments did not mean he should surrender his right to express his views.
Berardelli left the meeting without resigning but submitted his resignation the following morning.
CAIR-Pittsburgh had called for his resignation before he stepped down, describing the Facebook post as anti-Muslim and sexist.
Following his resignation, CAIR-Pittsburgh welcomed the decision and urged Berardelli to meet with members of the local Muslim community to learn about Islam directly from Muslims.
Christine Mohamed, executive director of CAIR-Pittsburgh, said the organisation hoped he would meet with Muslims and others affected by his remarks and use the opportunity to address misconceptions about Islam.
The district has said it will proceed with filling the vacant board position.
