Nearly a decade ago, Sam Westrop was ordered by a British court to pay over $173,000 in libel damages after falsely labeling the founder of a London-based Islamic TV channel a "convicted terrorist." Westrop later admitted the evidence for the claim was unreliable and corrected the story on his website.

Years after the ruling, Westrop made similar allegations against a group of Islamic private schools in Texas that applied to the state's new voucher program. The state contracted two investigators using taxpayer money to examine the histories of nearly 50 private schools across Texas with alleged ties to major Islamic organizations and the Chinese government—a figure that surpasses previous reports.

According to a deposition, the agency began receiving information as early as summer 2025 identifying almost 50 schools with alleged links to the Chinese Communist Party or extremist groups. The comptroller initially approved at least one Islamic school, Bayaan Academy, for the voucher program but removed it two hours after Westrop shared some of his research via email in January 2026.

The state's June 26 filing stated, “Plaintiffs received not only the initial approval they sought, but also the continuing ability to participate in the Program on the same footing as all other approved providers and families.” However, the Islamic school plaintiffs maintain their inclusion in the program is not guaranteed long term and hope a class-action lawsuit will reform the comptroller’s admission processes.

Eric Hudson, an attorney representing the Islamic schools, emphasized, “Religious liberty is not a temporary pass issued after a lawsuit. We’re pressing on so equal treatment is the rule — not an exception granted under pressure.”

Sources