To the editor:

I am writing in response to your paper picking up the story regarding Edsel Ford High School and their pulling of Deanna Suleiman’s OP-ED piece regarding the Israel/Palestine conflict from the school’s website. Regardless of whether or not people liked the content of the article — the paper, the school, and the author HAVE THE RIGHT under the First Amendment to publish an opinion regarding any subject they see fit. And NOWHERE in there does Miss Suleiman slander Israel or Israelis.

I got an email today from Deanna that The Detroit News is picking up this story — FINALLY! It is pretty sad that they only did so after your paper made it an issue to talk about. I think it’s very unfair that they were not willing to publish this story until your newspaper picked it up first. I believe they only did so after mounting pressure from not only Miss Suleiman but also the community.

The Detroit Newspaper Group needs to wake up and get their heads out of the sand. As they well know, there is a VERY large community of Arabs in the Detroit area and they have a RESPONSIBILITY to represent that group in their reporting I find it odd that they have had no problem publishing articles and opinions from Debbie Schlussel who CLEARLY hates Arabs but refused to pick up this story regarding freedom of speech and a high school student. This clearly paints a picture regarding that company and what they consider to be newsworthy. It’s very sad that the only articles that are constant in their reportings that include Arabs are regarding terrorism and war. It’s sad that they had to be swayed to publish an article that illustrates the positivity of an Arab American student and her quest for freedom of speech.

Lisa Ocelnik, Harrison Township