Parents and students press Powhatan School Board to reinstate theater director after his removal

Scores of Powhatan County students, parents and alumni used the school board’s public-comment period on Aug. 11 to urge reinstatement of Powhatan High School theater director Bilal Zulfikar Rayshuni.

Speakers described the theater program as a community for students, credited Rayshuni with increasing participation and cited tangible outcomes: at least nine students were reported to have received scholarship offers totaling about $60,000 after the production of Hadestown (Teen Edition). Students and parents said the show and Rayshuni’s work helped improve confidence, academics and college prospects.

“Mr. Rayshuni has put the heart and soul into our school,” said parent Jennifer Walton, recounting her daughter’s experience and calling Rayshuni a mentor. Student speakers said the director created opportunities and a safe space. “He built a community that brought students together and made each of us feel seen and valued,” said student Carson Riley, who was the Hadestown lead.

Public commenters also said the musical’s script and content had been approved by school administrators in advance and that the production and rehearsals were supervised. Several speakers asked the school board to investigate the circumstances of the director’s removal and urged administrators to prioritize the program’s continuity; some organizers circulated an online petition that petitioners said had 600–700 signatures.

Rayshuni addressed the board during public comment. “I plan to continue this pushback on my own,” he said, describing his work and the program’s reach. He said community members had rallied and emphasized the personal nature of the students’ testimony.

Board members did not announce during the meeting a personnel decision or vote on reinstatement. The board’s formal actions on personnel were limited to routine approvals earlier in the agenda (personnel docket and addendum). The removal appears to have been an administrative decision by school leadership; members of the public asked the board to review that administrative action and to ensure continuity for students and the theater program.

The situation prompted wider discussion about community input and decision-making transparency. Parents and students said they had not been notified directly when the removal occurred and asked the board to reopen the personnel matter or require the administration to explain its decision publicly. The board did not reverse the administrative decision during the meeting.