Suburban Detroit school settles lawsuit with Palestinian student over Pledge of Allegiance dispute

A suburban Detroit school district has agreed to give First Amendment training to staff to settle a lawsuit by a teenager who said a teacher humiliated her for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in protest of U.S. support of Israel's war in Gaza. The agreement with Danielle Khalaf and her father also includes a $10,000 payment by an insurance company on behalf of the teacher, according to a court filing. Danielle, whose family is of Palestinian descent, declined to recite the pledge at her school over three days in January 2025.