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Community Update - AQTA Timeline & Clarification

The Real Story & Context Around Hiring Sister Shameem

Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

We want to take a moment to walk the community through the real timeline and facts behind the establishment of Al-Qalam Triangle Academy (AQTA) and provide context around hiring Sister Shameem as the school administrator.

Starting a full-time school from scratch is one of the most laborious projects an organization can take on — months of planning, compliance, licensing, inspections, marketing, curriculum setup, staffing, and building preparation. It requires commitment, perseverance, and people willing to step up when no one else is available.

🌿 Islamic Reminder: Husn al-Ẓann (Good Opinion)

Allah ﷻ says:
“Avoid much suspicion — indeed some suspicion is sin.” (Qur’an 49:12)

The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Let us uplift one another, verify information, and protect each other’s honor. A community thrives when we encourage service — not when we shame or attack those who serve with sincerity.

🚨 Lies vs Facts – What Was Presented vs What Actually Happened

❌ Claim: "Sister Shameem was hired as a teacher."

✔️ Fact: She was hired strictly as an administrator, not a teacher, though she stepped up to fill in as a substitute teacher when needed.

❌ Claim: "Her hiring deprived other sisters of job opportunities."

✔️ Fact: No admin position was advertised because Br. Ahmadu Lee was already assigned to handle AQTA admin duties full-time. When he resigned suddenly, the priority became: “Who can step in immediately to prevent school delay or failure?” Multiple sisters were approached; several declined. Sister Shameem stepped up when no one else was available.

❌ Claim: "She was paid $15,000 for just 7 months."

✔️ Fact: $15,000 was for the entire academic year, including 4 months of unpaid volunteer work and consistent overtime. The school generated ~$25,000 back to the community in its first year. For context: JIAR pays $24,000/year just for cleaning Parkwood.

❌ Claim: "Unauthorized funds were used."

✔️ Fact: 100% false. The JIAR Board unanimously approved up to $100,000 for AQTA in May 2024 towards teachers salaries, setup costs etc. This is clearly written in the meeting minutes. Proof can be furnished anytime.

❌ Claim: "No 1099, no employment documents, no compliance."

✔️ Fact: Another complete falsehood. All hiring in AQTA was conducted in accordance with **U.S. employment law** — background checks, work authorization, documentation, HR files. 1099 was requested by her via email few weeks ago to file taxes in Jan 2026.

📌 Summary: These accusations were not misunderstandings — they were deliberate misrepresentations that created unnecessary division. The facts, documents, and timeline speak for themselves.

Here is the timeline exactly as it happened:

📌 December 2023 — Conception of JIAR Full-time Islamic School

JIAR Board met with Al-Huda Board on several occassions prior to December 2023 with proposal to collaborate closely in enhancing the quality & vision of the Al-Huda Academy.
Proposals include having community members in the Al-Huda board along with a few JIAR Board Members.
Talks with Al-Huda board did not materialize into actionable results.
In December 2023, Br Mansur presented the vision and the need for a JIAR owned full-time Islamic School
JIAR Board approved Br Mansur and Br Hafed to form a team to establish the JIAR Full Time School.

📌 March - May 2024 — Birth of Al-Qalam Triangle Academy LLC

Board approved converting Br. Ahmadu Lee from part-time (~$30k) to full-time (~$66k).
Vision included utilizing Br. Ahmadu Lee for JIAR programs including AQTA.
Al-Qalam Triangle Academy LLC (AQTA) was formally registered with the state.
Board Approved in May 2024 for upto $100K budget towards AQTA for year 2024-25 academic year.

📌 June – July 2024 — Assigning Admin Responsibilities

Of other responsibilities, Br. Ahmadu Lee was also kind enough to:

Handle AQTA admin responsibilities
Complete NC State Admin Certification
Undergo background/security clearance
Announce AQTA’s launch for Sept 16 at Fayetteville St (Pre-K)
Be onsite for building inspections
Shortlist candidates for Pre-K Lead Teacher and arrange interviews

Hence no admin job was advertised; but job descriptions for Pre-K Lead and Assistant teachers were prepared.

📌 August 2024 — Unexpected Resignation

Br. Ahmadu informed us he would resign due to family reasons and could not manage AQTA & JIAR responsibilities together. This created an immediate crisis.

Urgent search for help:

We reached out to community resources, including interviewing former Al-Huda admin. She could not accept the role. Sister Shameem volunteered to assist and stabilize the school launch. She has an MBA along with other credentials required to work in an elementary school.

📌 September 2024 — Hiring Lead Teacher & Director

Hired Sr. Nasreen as Pre-K Lead Teacher & School Director. She and Sr. Shameem worked tirelessly to set up classrooms, furniture, curriculum, and meet compliance requirements.

Recommended pushing start date to October 1st week for quality.

📌 October 2024 — School Opened Officially

School was successfully started on October 1st 2024 with just 2 to 3 kids.

📌 November - December 2024 — Formalizing Admin Position

After ~4 months of volunteer service, Sr. Shameem was offered a part-time admin role (5 hrs/day) but continued working 6–8 hrs/day without billing extra. Compensation was minimal given workload and responsibility.

This role was service-driven — done to save the school launch during a critical time.

Sister Nasreen hired Sr. Zahira as Pre-K Assistant & Qur’an/Arabic teacher.

📈 Results — From 2 Students to 14 Students

Opened with 2 students
By Jan 2025, enrollment reached 12 students
By Feb 2025, reached 14 students and stopped accepting applicants
Generated revenue ~$25,000 in first partial year — projected to grow multiple-fold

⚠️ We Should Celebrate When Our Women Step Up

When women of our community step forward to serve — to build institutions, stabilize crises, and contribute to long-term legacy projects — this should be a source of pride, not a weapon for attacks.These are the examples that inspire our daughters and strengthen our community. Twisting sincere efforts into accusations creates a chilling message:

Payments made to Sr. Shameem were shown in a negative, misleading light, implying improper conduct. This is false. Every dollar paid was for real work, real hours, and real responsibility. She volunteered 4 months without pay and often exceeded billed hours.

Her contributions should be celebrated. Twisting them into accusations discourages volunteerism and creates fear: “If you help, you may be targeted or dragged into controversy.” Many community members already expressed this concern privately.

A healthy community lifts people up, appreciates effort, encourages participation, and protects volunteers. We must return to a culture of trust, gratitude, fairness, and transparency.

May Allah unite our hearts, purify our intentions, and protect our jamaat from division. Ameen.

Closing Note

These events clarify the hiring process, intentions, and the effort behind building AQTA. The school is now a valuable community asset — something we can all be proud of.