Plymouth-Canton schools settles lawsuit over student who refused to stand for Pledge of Allegiance
A free speech lawsuit against a Michigan school district involving a 14-year-old student's decision to remain silent for the Pledge of Allegiance has been settled.
The ACLU of Michigan and the Arab American Civil Rights League announced that step on Thursday, saying the suit they filed in 2025 against Plymouth-Canton Community Schools was resolved.
The case spurred out of a January 2025 incident, during which the student decided not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance recitation at East Middle School, and said her teacher told her she was disrespectful for not doing so. There were at least three incidents in January when she remained seated.
The student said the teacher was dismissive after one such instance and allegedly 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."
The girl, Danielle Khalaf, was described by the ACLU as of Palestinian descent.
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools said at the time that it conducted an investigation and appropriate actions were taken, including placing the teacher on leave.
The ACLU issued a press release that said the terms of the agreement include a commitment from the school district to provide diversity, sensitivity and First Amendment training to leadership and staff. The district also agreed not to discipline the student for her actions, purge her files of anything that suggests her decision to remain seated was improper, and to provide counseling if needed.
"This experience definitely had a big impact on me and my life. 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.
"My daughter has shown her strong moral fiber throughout all of this. She had the courage to resist when a person in authority tried to make her relinquish her right to free speech, and then, with the help of the ACLU and ACRL, brought a lawsuit to make sure her First Amendment rights, as well as those of others, were protected. That is a lot for anyone, let alone someone still in middle school. What she did should inspire us all," Jacob Khalaf said.
In response to the settlement announcement, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Superintendent Dr. Monica L. Merritt issued the following statement:
"At Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, our mission is to foster a school environment that is safe, respectful and welcoming for all. We commend the student for showing courage and speaking up about the incident. We are committed to the agreement reached that will allow all parties to move forward and allow us to expand training opportunities, which is consistent with our vision and values of respect, understanding and continuous improvement."
