Palestinian teen bullied by teacher over Pledge protest wins legal settlement
Danielle Khalaf was humiliated by her teacher after she refused to stand for the Pledge. She sued. The result is a huge victory.
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Last year, a 14-year-old student sued her Michigan public school district for berating her after she refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of the Israeli genocide in Gaza. The district has now agreed to a settlement that involves giving the student’s family a payout of $10,000.
The saga began back in January of 2025 when Danielle Khalaf, an eighth grader at East Middle School in the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district, stayed seated during the Pledge.
She didn’t explain her reasons at the time, but she had every right to stay seated. 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 that was it. And when Danielle refused to stand for the Pledge days later, Soranno flipped out again.
And then it happened the day after that. 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 was appalling to see it all in full. It was even worse when you realized it was the result of a teacher who didn’t understand the law and 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 non-controversial changes. 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. Soranno’s name was no longer on the district’s staff directory, but it was unclear if she was fired, remained on leave, or actually learned anything from this.
That’s why the ACLU of Michigan and the ACRL sued the district and Soranno herself.
They said 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 called for the courts to say Danielle’s First Amendment rights were violated and that the district couldn’t prevent students from staying seated during the Pledge. They also demanded any associated legal fees.
It took well over a year, but that lawsuit has now resulted in a settlement that’s overwhelmingly in Danielle’s favor.
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 agrees to not discipline D.K. for her actions, purge her files of anything that suggests her decision to remain seated was improper, and to provide counseling if needed.
The terms of the settlement also say the Khalafs will receive “a $10,000 payment by an insurance company on behalf of the teacher.”
For its part, the district does not have to admit any liability.
Danielle said in a statement she was “proud” of the outcome and doesn’t regret her protest:
“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. I feel proud of the outcome and of being part of something that reinforces how important free speech is. I've learned that even when it feels uncomfortable or risky, speaking out can make a difference -- not just for me, but for others as well.”
There was no official statement from Soranno. Not now and not earlier. But Superintendent Monica Merritt publicly praised Danielle for “showing courage and speaking up about the incident.”
It should never have gotten to this point. The district could easily have admitted the teacher’s wrongdoing at the time, apologized for what they did to Danielle, and publicly reiterated that all students can remain seated during the Pledge if they wanted to. They did none of that.
Incidentally, while protesting the Pledge on behalf of Palestine is perfectly fine, 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?
Whether you choose one of those reasons or create your own, the point is: You don’t need to waste your time with this ritual. No one can force you to say it. And it shouldn’t take a student’s act of non-violent protest to educate her teacher and her district on the issue.
(Portions of this article were published earlier)
GOOD!
I detest bullies. They must be fought. Always.
I am a US army veteran and I feel more disrespected by people who want to take away the hard fought freedoms we have/had. The true patriots will be out on the streets today protesting the toddler-king and his followers.