Suburban Detroit school settles lawsuit with Palestinian student over Pledge of Allegiance dispute

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DETROIT (AP) — 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.

“Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the teacher said, according to the lawsuit.

Danielle suffered emotional injuries, including nightmares and strained friendships, the lawsuit said.

“It was terrifying at times, scary to face a teacher and overwhelming with the attention that came with the publicity. But it taught me the importance of speaking up for what I believe is right,” Danielle said Thursday in a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union and Arab American Civil Rights League.

Michigan has more than 300,000 residents of Middle Eastern or North African descent, second in the U.S. behind California, according to the Census Bureau.

The school district will remove anything from Danielle's file that suggests her actions violated school policy, according to the settlement.