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Detained in Kuwait: The Complete Katherine Phillips Incident

On June 13, 2007 Katherine Phillips, middle school principal at Al-Bayan Bilingual School, (under the direction of Dr. Brian McCauly) was on her way home to spend the summer months with her family. At airport immigration, however, Kuwaiti officials detained Katherine, enforcing a travel ban placed on her by the wealthy parent of an Al-Bayan student. By court order Katherine had been banned from leaving the country . The powerful Kuwaiti man who had initiated the travel ban later threatened he would "destroy" Katherine, and all because she had sent his son to in-school-suspension for fist fighting on campus. To this man, in-school suspension and Guantanamo Bay were one in the same. The following letters and articles relay this incredible story.

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Detained in Kuwait: "I Am In Fear for My Safety". " The Embassy Can't Help Me". Katherine Requests Help from ISR Readers read

 
  ISR Issues Travel / Work Advisory for Kuwait read
   
  Dr, Spilchuk, ISR on-line Advisor and Teacher Advocate, Spearheads Effort to Free Katherine and Addresses the International Teaching Community. read
 
  Principals and Teachers Join Travel/Work Advisory and Resign Positions in Kuwait in Protest. read
   
  Arab Times, Kuwait, Publishes Letter from Katherine's Father read
 
 

Minister of Education, Nooriya Sabeeh, Bans Expatriates from Serving as Administrators in Kuwait Private Schools read

   
  A Parent Writes in Support of Katherine's Detention in Kuwait by Wealthy Parent. Frightening!! read
 
  Katherine's Situation is not Uncommon in Kuwait. International Teachers Share Kuwait Teaching Experiences read
 
 

Katherine's Travel Ban is Suddenly Lifted. She writes Dr. Spilchuk: "I'm not sure how I got out of the country...you and your organization mean the world to me. My friend contacted you initially which was the best help, ray of hope, I have received". read

   
  Katherine Free but Later Banned From All Persian Gulf States. ISR Work/Travel Advisory Remains in Effect. read
 
 
Katherine Writes Dr. Spilchuk and ISR Readers: "Your letters to U.S. politicians and the American Embassy in Kuwait created a sense of urgency in a bureaucracy where I had no importance; I believe the travel ban was lifted (so I could leave) only due to your collective efforts". read
   
  The Dust has Cleared but the Repercussion is Felt by International Teachers in Kuwait:
An American teaching in Kuwait Responds to the decision by Kuwait’s Minister of Education — Ms. Nooriya Sabeeh - to oust foreign administrators from private schools read
   
  Months after the incident Dr. McCauly, Director of Al-Bayan Bilingual, writes International Schools Review to express his concerns about the web site. read