From the Associated Press: A suburban Detroit school district has agreed to give First Amendment training to staff to settle a lawsuit by a teenager who said a teacher humiliated her for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of U.S. support of Israel’s war in Gaza.
The agreement with Danielle Khalaf and her father also includes a $10,000 payment by an insurance company on behalf of the teacher, according to a court filing.
The Plymouth-Canton district did not admit liability. But Superintendent Monica Merritt praised Danielle for “showing courage and speaking up about the incident.”
“Our mission is to foster a school environment that is safe, respectful and welcoming for all,” Merritt said Friday.
Danielle, whose family is of Palestinian descent, declined to recite the pledge at her school over three days in January 2025. The lawsuit says her teacher admonished her and told her she was being disrespectful.
When the Palestinian student refused to join in the pledge of allegiance, the teacher reported told her, “Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country.”
Danielle claims she suffered emotional injuries, nightmares and strained friendships as a result of the teacher’s comments.
Days after the incident occurred, her family had already obtained legal representation with the Arab American Civil Rights League, or ACRL, and were threatening to file a lawsuit.
Fourteen-year-old Danielle Khalaf said that an experience with her teacher at East Middle School in Plymouth has made 8th grade an anxious experience for her. https://t.co/eCiCEYu3RQ pic.twitter.com/QFuW95Ih9d
— FOX 17 (@FOX17) February 28, 2025
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