With the school year right around the corner an Irving family doesn't know which school their child will attend.
When Iqbal Bhombal got the letter from Irving Independent School District in the mail he wasn't shocked. Every year the district notifies parents of the school to which their children have been assigned.
What shocked Bhombal was that his son, Zain, was not assigned to the school he's attended since kindergarten, John Hayley Elementary School.
"The school is more than two miles away, and there is no bus service," Bhombal said. "It's like dropping him into a foreign school."
Bhombal is still waiting on an explanation from the district as to why Zain is being moved, but he's going to appeal the decision.
He believes the decision is retaliation for the lawsuit he filed against Irving ISD in May. The lawsuit accuses the district and administrators at John Hayley Elementary School of discriminating, harassing, and violating Zain's civil rights.
The lawsuit was filed after an incident on March 9, right before spring break. Bhombal said he arrived at school to find Zain being bullied by another student who said Zain had a bomb in his lunch box.
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Zain said he told the student he did have a bomb in his lunch box so the boy would stop teasing him. He also claims a student called him "Tally," short-hand for Taliban.
No disciplinary action was taken until several weeks later when Zain and his father met with administrators. Zain was given a one-day, in-school suspension. His father thought that the situation had been resolved, but his lawsuit claims his son was continuously harassed and questioned.
Bhombal does not know when his appeal will be heard, but he fears time is running out. Irving ISD trustees don't meet until after the school year starts.
"I want justice. The boy should be able to go to a school of his choice and he should be free from any harassment, or retaliation, or discrimination," Bhombal said. "If they're going to punish him, fine, but there has to be equal punishment, you know. He should not be singled out for punishment."
NBC 5 reached out to Irving ISD for comment, but our calls were not returned. Due to the district's summer hours NBC 5 will update this story as soon as a response is available.
