ACLU sues Michigan school after Palestinian teen bullied by teacher over Pledge protest
Danielle Khalaf refused to stand for the Pledge over U.S. support for Gaza. Her teacher berated her. Now the school district faces a major lawsuit.
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The family of 14-year-old Danielle Khalaf is suing her Michigan public school district for berating her after she refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of our government’s support of the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
It’s not just that she was criticized by her teacher for something she had every right to do; it’s that the district hasn’t taken any meaningful steps to make sure something like this never happens again.
The saga began back in January when Danielle, an eighth grader at East Middle School in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district, stayed seated during the Pledge.
She didn’t explain why, though there have always been good reasons to reject the religious ritual. I’ve made an entire podcast series about the history of the Pledge, but just to go over the biggest concerns…
The phrase “under God” pushes religion onto people who may not be religious.
The Pledge suggests, falsely, that we really have “liberty and justice for all.” (This is one reason that, historically, many Black students have protested saying the Pledge.)
It was originally written to promote anti-immigrant sentiment, which is why it’s all about pledging allegiance to our nation’s flag and not the flag of the country you may be coming from.
And frankly, our country isn’t always one that deserves admiration. Why would we want to “pledge allegiance” to a nation that is so often a global embarrassment?
The reason doesn’t matter, though. No one needs to stand for or say the Pledge. End of story. Yet Danielle’s teacher, Carissa Soranno, “admonished and publicly humiliated” her, according to the lawsuit.
When [Danielle] declined to stand or recite the Pledge, Defendant Soranno disrupted the class and admonished her in the presence of her classmates. Soranno told [Danielle] that remaining seated was disrespectful, that [Danielle] was specifically disrespectful to U.S. military forces and the flag, and that she should stand. [Danielle] refused to stand.
District officials soon sent Soranno a “corrective action notice” and held a staff meeting to remind teachers of the law—a good start!—but they apparently did nothing more after that. And when Danielle refused to stand for the Pledge days later, Soranno flipped out once again.
And then it happened the next day, too. Sorrano told Danielle “she was being disrespectful and that she should be ashamed of herself.”
Obviously, it was the teacher, not the student, who was being disruptive and disrespectful.
Danielle privately spoke to her teacher after that class and tried to explain her rationale: She’s Palestinian and had “sincere and serious concerns” about the role of the U.S. in perpetuating the genocide.
Her teacher’s response?
“Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country.”
All of this took its toll on the teenager:
As a result of Defendant Soranno’s actions, [Danielle] suffered extensive emotional and social injuries. These include, among other things, inability to sleep, recurring nightmares, adoption of a more guarded demeanor, and high levels of stress. Her weakened emotional state has compromised her physical health, and she suffered what her pediatrician described as “the worst case of pneumonia” that physician had seen in more than a year. [Danielle] has sought out and relied on therapy to cope with these circumstances. In addition to the emotional injuries, [Danielle] has had to cope with friends who want to distance themselves from her because of these incidents. The consequence has been isolation during a period when contact with peers is highly valued and necessary for [Danielle]’s wellbeing. The impact of these incidents has negatively affected [Danielle]’s academic performance – a student with a nearly perfect record.
While any one of these things might not be grounds for a lawsuit individually, it becomes appalling when you see it all in full—and realize that it’s the result of a teacher who didn’t understand the law, who took her ignorant rage out on a student who did nothing wrong, and an administration that didn’t take any of this seriously enough to punish the teacher or prevent the overreactions from happening in the future.
The Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) sent a letter to the district in February demanding a few specific changes that should not have been controversial. Among them, they wanted a thorough investigation of Soranno’s conduct, appropriate disciplinary measures (if the allegations were substantiated), a formal apology to Danielle and her family, and “cultural sensitivity and anti-discriminatory training” for all staffers.
This matter is not just about one student; it is about upholding the fundamental principles of respect, equality, and a safe learning environment for all. If we allow such behavior to go unchecked, what message are we sending to our students and the broader community? Schools must be places of learning, inclusivity, and respect, not environments where discrimination is tolerated or ignored. This incident stands in direct contradiction to the policies implemented by the district to protect students, and failure to act will undermine the very principles the Board of Education is meant to uphold. The ACRL expects a prompt response outlining the district's course of action in addressing this issue and ensuring systemic reforms to prevent future occurrences.
Later that month, Superintendent Dr. Monica L. Merritt responded with a half-hearted public statement that didn’t explain in any detail what happened to Danielle and only offered vague platitudes meant to calm everyone down:
… As soon as we became aware of the allegation, the teacher involved was immediately placed on leave. Then, following a review and investigation, appropriate action was taken consistent with our school procedures and protocols.
We also facilitated restorative practices between the teacher and students to address any harm, foster understanding and use this as a learning moment.
We want to be clear that discrimination in any form is not tolerated by Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, and any report of harassment, discrimination or bullying is taken seriously and investigated thoroughly. P-CCS remains committed to fostering an environment where all students, staff and community members feel safe, respected and valued.
What “appropriate action" was taken? No clue. While Soranno’s name no longer appears in the district’s staff directory, it’s unclear if she was fired, remains on leave, or actually learned anything from this.
That’s why the ACLU of Michigan and the ACRL are now suing the district and Soranno herself.
They say the district “either failed to follow up, supervise, monitor and/or investigate Defendant Soranno’s conduct and there was a failure to implement any or appropriate policies, training, and/or procedures for Defendant Soranno and other teachers regarding the protection of students’ First Amendment rights; or any such actions taken were completely ineffective.”
They are calling for the courts to say Danielle’s First Amendment rights were violated, that the district cannot prevent students from staying seated during the Pledge, and any associated legal fees.
They shouldn’t need a judge to make this happen. The district could easily have admitted the teacher’s wrongdoing, apologized for what they did to Danielle, and publicly reiterated that all students can remain seated during the Pledge if they want to. They did none of that.
The only upside is that Danielle will soon enter high school and leave the building where all this happened. Hopefully, her teachers this fall will respect the law and celebrate students who know their rights.
"realize that it’s the result of a teacher who didn’t understand the law"
If the tracher was warned once, and continued to harass Danielle Khalaf, then it's not about not knowing, she simply doesn't care.
Maybe it's time to let go of this nonsense. I never had to recite La Marseillaise* every morning, and I love my country (as long as I don't have to eat French cuisine).
* A couple of times only, in history class.
The Pledge of Allegiance is not about patriotism, it's about enforcing rote conformity on young people. Repeat anything often enough and it becomes meaningless. Why would you ever need to pledge your allegiance to the flag more than once, if that? From the very beginnings of the American Republic, conservatives have pushed the idea that people cannot be allowed to think for themselves, and woe be unto whomever gets out of line. I suspect the teacher in question has a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.