An eighth grade student said she was racially discriminated against after not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Danielle Khalaf, an Arab American student at East Middle School in Plymouth, said she made the decision to sit during the Pledge of Allegiance on Jan. 10 as an act of protest against what is happening in Gaza.

Danielle claimed the teacher told her, in front of the class, that it is “disrespectful” to sit during the Pledge. She said that after class she attempted to explain to her teacher why she remained seated, but her teacher then 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 Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) is calling out the Plymouth-Canton School District, demanding immediate action be taken to remedy this situation and prevent further discrimination from occurring. The ACRL held a press conference Thursday addressing the incident, where both Danielle and her father, Jacob Khalaf, spoke.

“It crushed me, it broke me, I felt so unwelcome, I felt uncomfortable,” Danielle said, adding that she ran out of the room crying.

“I want her to take some sort of accountability,” she added, referring to her teacher. “I want the school to take accountability, because I know that this could happen to so many other students.”

Her father also spoke, sharing that they learned the teacher admitted to making that remark.

“As a father it was heartbreaking to see my daughter come home in tears because of what she had to deal with at school,” Khalaf said. “Danielle was exercising her constitutional right when she chose to remain seated during the Pledge of Allegiance. Instead of respecting her decision, the teacher humiliated her in front of her classmates and peers and made a deeply offensive comment, essentially telling my daughter that she does not belong to this country. My daughter, an American citizen, being told she does not belong to this country.”

Danielle’s father, Jacob Khalaf, speaks at the ACRL press conference on 2/27. Photo: Abbas Shehab

The Khalaf family filed a formal complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. Khalaf also shared that they reached out to the school, but the response has been “inadequate.”

“This isn’t just about my daughter,” Khalaf said. “This is about every child that has ever felt marginalized, disrespected or unheard in their own school.

“We are here today because silence is not an option,” he added.

According to the ACRL, the incident is a violation of Danielle’s First Amendment rights. The organization said it will file a lawsuit if the school district doesn’t take sufficient action. The ACRL also claimed that Danielle has not been provided with supportive resources, nor has she received an apology.

Nabih Ayad, founder and chairman of the ACRL, said that they are disappointed in the Plymouth-Canton School District.

“We’re asking for them to do the right thing, for the school board to take action immediately, conduct an investigation, do a thorough investigation, make sure this teacher is dealt with accordingly.”

The Plymouth-Canton School District released the following statement:

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority. We want to be clear that discrimination in any form is not tolerated by Plymouth-Canton Community Schools and is taken very seriously. P-CCS remains committed to fostering an environment where all students, staff and community members feel safe, respected and valued.

“The district became aware of this incident after it occurred. As with all complaints, an investigation was conducted, and appropriate action was taken in alignment with district policies and procedures. Because this is a personnel matter, we are unable to share specific details regarding the employee involved.

“To support those affected, the district facilitated restorative practices between the teacher and students to address any harm and foster understanding.”