US EditionSuburban Detroit school settles lawsuit with Palestinian student over Pledge of Allegiance dispute
Settlement includes $10,000 insurance payment, staff training on free speech and diversity, and no discipline for the student who protested U.S. support of Israel during the pledge.
- On Thursday, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools settled a federal lawsuit with 14-year-old student Danielle Khalaf, who alleged a teacher humiliated her for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of the Gaza war.
- The lawsuit, filed last year by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Arab American Civil Rights League, claimed a teacher publicly reprimanded Khalaf in January 2025, telling her, "if you don't like it, you should go back to your country."
- Under the agreement, the district committed to mandatory diversity and First Amendment training for staff, will purge related records from student files, and accepted a $10,000 insurance payment on the teacher's behalf, though it denied liability.
- Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Monica L. Merritt praised the student for "showing courage and speaking up," adding the district aims to foster an environment that is "safe, respectful and welcoming for all."
- This resolution reaffirms established U.S. Supreme Court precedent from over 80 years ago protecting students' right to remain silent during the Pledge, while the district pledged improved sensitivity toward diverse student backgrounds.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Michigan School Settles Pledge Protest Lawsuit With Student
PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN — A suburban Detroit school district has settled a federal lawsuit with a 14-year-old student who refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, citing political concerns related to U.S. foreign policy. The case involved Danielle Khalaf, a student at East Middle School, who remained seated during the pledge in early 2025. According to the lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Michigan and the Arab American Civil Rights League, a teache…
Associated Press News
Suburban Detroit school settles lawsuit with Palestinian student over Pledge of Allegiance dispute
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.
Student disciplined for protesting Gaza war reaches settlement with Plymouth-Canton schools
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit alleging a middle school student’s First Amendment rights were violated when she was reprimanded for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of the war in Gaza.
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