Slain journalist's father criticizes school named after son for suspending teacher over COVID story

The father of slain journalist Daniel Pearl is criticizing the school named after his son and the Los Angeles school district in connection with the faculty adviser for the school's student newspaper being suspended over a COVID-19 article. 

The student-run newspaper at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School published an article last year naming the school librarian who was not allowed to come to work because she failed to meet the district's COVID vaccine deadline, leaving the library closed. 

The librarian asked for the paper to remove her name from the online article, but the teacher/adviser for the Pearl Post newspaper, Adriana Chavira, consulted with legal counsel and refused.

Chavira is appealing the school's decision to suspend her for three days without pay.

"The school is named for a celebrated Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and murdered while on assignment in Pakistan, raising sensitivities around attempted censorship in his hometown," the LA Press Club wrote in support of Chavira.

Pearl's father and Daniel Pearl Foundation President Judea Pearl said Chavira is "a wonderful teacher and journalism adviser, as demonstrated by the award-winning reporting done under her mentorship."

"I don’t want her to face any disciplinary action for allowing her students to tell the truth," he said. "I only want what’s best for the students and the school, which is why I hope they will reconsider this decision."