A Michigan teenager claims she was told to ‘go back to your country’ by her teacher after she refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Danielle Khalaf, 14, said the alleged incident took place on January 10 at East Middle School in Plymouth, when she chose to stay seated during the pledge.
The Arab-American eighth-grader said she was soon reprimanded by her teacher, Cari Soranno, who branded Danielle’s actions ‘very disrespectful.’
‘I decided I wanted to sit down because I didn’t feel comfortable standing, because of what’s happening in Palestine,’ Danielle told 7 News Detroit.
‘After the pledge was over, the teacher addressed the class and said that anyone that was sitting down was being very disrespectful to soldiers, to America.’
After class ended, Danielle decided to go to her teacher and explain why she chose not to stand, but that’s when she claims the situation got worse.
According to the teen, her teacher told her: ‘Since you live in this county and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country.’
Danielle then ran out of the classroom, crying, and went to the counselor’s office.
‘It was traumatizing, it hurt, and I know she could do that to other people,’ the student added.
Danielle Khalaf, 14, claims she was told to ‘go back to your country’ by her teacher at East Middle School in Plymouth, Michigan after she remained seated during the Pledge of Allegiance
After class ended, Danielle decided to go up to Ms. Soranno and explain why she chose not to stand, but that’s when she claims the situation got worse. (Pictured: East Middle School)
Her father, Jacob Khalaf, said the educator has since admitted to the statement, but he wants the school to take further action.
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‘Their only solution was to put my daughter in a different class as opposed to doing anything with the teacher; they wouldn’t tell us what type of disciplinary action, if any, was taken,’ he said. ‘I think the teacher needs to be removed.’
Danielle and her father joined the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) for a press conference on Thursday to address her story.
‘As a father, it was heartbreaking to see my daughter come home in tears because of what she had to deal with in school,’ Jacob said at the conference.
‘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 county,’ he added.
The ACRL, a non-profit group ‘committed to protecting the civil rights of Arab Americans through education and advocacy,’ also sent a letter to the Plymouth-Canton Community School District Board of Education to request ‘investigation and accountability’ regarding the alleged incident.
In the letter, the organization wrote that the teacher’s alleged comment to Danielle ‘was not only discriminatory and deeply offensive but also created a hostile learning environment’ for her.
Her father, Jacob Khalaf, said the educator has since admitted to the statement, but he wants the school to take further action
They also noted that after Danielle’s experience, she was ‘provided immediate support’ by other school staff members, including one who is Palestinian herself.
‘Additionally, a Palestinian staff member, Mrs. Sater, helped validate the student’s experience,’ the letter continued.
ACRL said that what Danielle says she experienced is a direct violation of her First Amendment rights.
The ACRL has also filed a formal complaint with the Department of Civil Rights and sent a list of demands to the school district.
Among those demands, the group has asked the district to conduct a ‘thorough’ and ‘transparent’ investigation into Ms. Soranno’s conduct, ‘impose appropriate disciplinary measures’ on her if the allegations are true, and issue a formal and public apology to Danielle and her family.
They also asked the district to ‘enforce mandatory cultural sensitivity and anti-discrimination training’ to all staff, ‘review and strengthen district policies’ that refer to steps that have to be taken in ‘reporting and addressing discriminatory conduct,’ and to ‘guarantee ongoing emotional and academic support for Danielle,’ according to the letter.
Plymouth-Canton Schools told the outlet that ‘discrimination in any form is not tolerated’ in the school district, but ‘because this is a personal matter,’ they can not share details about Ms. Soranno – who was named in the non-profit’s letter.
‘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 said.
‘It was traumatizing, it hurt, and I know she could do that to other people,’ Danielle recalled
‘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.
Mariam Charara, the Executive Director of ACRL, said: ‘Based on what Danielle is letting us know, is that the administration had restorative practice in the classroom with the teacher and the other students, but the only person that wasn’t in the classroom was Danielle herself.’
As of Sunday, Ms. Soranno’s LinkedIn page appeared to be deactivated.
DailyMail.com contacted the Plymouth-Canton Community School District Board of Education and the ACRL for comment.