Mashal Sherzad, a former DEI manager at the University of Minnesota and Instagram model, is suing the school for firing her after a photo of her posing near an Israeli flag emblazoned with swastikas surfaced. She claims the university violated her First Amendment rights and discriminated against her, seeking more than $75,000 in damages and asking for her job to be reinstated. Sherzad is known for posting fashion photos online, including one where she was carrying a Palestinian flag during an anti-Israel protest.
Sherzad began working as a program manager for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the university’s School of Public Health in October, but she was terminated in January after the university discovered photos on her Facebook page from a protest against the Israel-Hamas war in Barcelona. One photo showed her in front of an Israeli flag with swastikas painted on it. During a news conference, she claimed that the flag belonged to someone else, and she cannot be held responsible for someone else’s intellectual property. Sherzad also mentioned that the photos were shared from her private Instagram account to her public Facebook page without her knowledge.
In the termination letter dated January 10, School of Public Health Dean Melinda Pettigrew cited Sherzad’s conduct as undermining her credibility in the role and potentially causing significant disruption to school and university activities. The letter mentioned the inflammatory nature of the image Sherzad posted in the context of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Additionally, Sherzad’s discipline file included a November post where she referred to Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Her supporters believe she is being unfairly targeted for her pro-Palestinian stance, with Jaylani Hussein, the executive director of the Minnesota chapter of CAIR, calling it a dark day for freedom of speech.
The University of Minnesota has declined to comment on the ongoing litigation regarding Sherzad’s firing. While the original flag photo has been deleted, Sherzad continues to post about the ongoing conflict, including reposting images with captions like “Zionism = Nazism.” Despite the controversy surrounding her termination and the content she shared on social media, Sherzad maintains that she posted the pictures to her private Instagram account, and they were shared publicly on Facebook without her consent. The lawsuit filed by Sherzad alleges that the university’s actions were unjust and violated her rights, leading to her termination from her role.
The case highlights the intersection of free speech, activism, and personal beliefs in the workplace and on social media. While universities and employers have the right to enforce policies and ensure employees represent the institution appropriately, cases like Sherzad’s raise questions about the limits of free expression and the consequences of sharing personal opinions online. The lawsuit against the University of Minnesota will likely bring attention to how organizations navigate these complex issues and balance individual freedoms with institutional expectations in an increasingly digital and politically charged landscape.
