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News & Current Events Mar 28, 2026 at 3:47 PM

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

Posted by hybridaaroncarroll

Suburban Detroit school settles lawsuit with Palestinian student over Pledge of Allegiance dispute
AP News
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.
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edingerc Mar 28, 2026 +1877
Not having to participate in the pledge of allegiance is pretty old (1943), settled case law. The school district needs to seriously consider getting rid of that teacher.
1877
LuciusCypher Mar 28, 2026 +479
They cant, because they're scrapping the bottom of the barrel for teachers as is and this piece of shit is the only one they can afford.
479
Optimal-Bass3142 Mar 28, 2026 +180
Truth. I use to work in a nursing home, the only thing that would keep you from having a job there was a literal felony. Shitty employees are preferable to no employees
180
Bitter-Yak-4222 Mar 28, 2026 +63
This is what happens. The good ones leave and find a place where they know they matter or they quit teaching all together and the bad ones just stay and collect a check. Sometimes they even get bored or have major resentment and mess with kids. Thankful I found a good school right out of college but 90% of the time that doesn't happen
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Sherkok_Homes Mar 28, 2026 +56
Almost like we should start prioritizing education again over buying tik tok and dropping bombs on kids in other countries.
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bluemitersaw Mar 28, 2026 +36
Sorry but we blew the education budget on wars and paying to keep people from building wind farms.
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seedless0 Mar 28, 2026 +153
>getting rid of that teacher And the pledge of allegiance.
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JahoclaveS Mar 28, 2026 +84
America really needs to let go of all this creepy nationalist symbolism that they force kids to do so that the adults can feel good about themselves. Same thing every time they bring up national service because they don’t think the kids are deferential enough to their bullshit.
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mountaindoom Mar 28, 2026 +18
Are we the only ones who do stuff like this besides North Korea?
18
RobutNotRobot Mar 28, 2026 +25
Most of the countries that do this ultra-nationalistic shit tend to be poor. In India, for example, you are expected to stand up and sing the national anthem before every movie showing.
25
BinksMagnus Mar 28, 2026 +35
If every school district got rid of every teacher that does this without it blowing up into a lawsuit there would be maybe 10% fewer teachers. Between the ones who genuinely think everyone has to stand up and say it and the ones who just get a corncob up their ass over a student refusing to obey their (illegal) instructions, this happens literally all the time.
35
Aggravating_Pest Mar 29, 2026 +11
They probably wouldn't have to actually get rid of 10% of the teachers. After a couple terminations or at least suspensions most of those teachers would see the writing on the wall and stop requiring the pledge. Teachers need money just like everyone else. Very few teachers are going to risk their paycheck over the pledge.
11
mountaindoom Mar 28, 2026 -5
Some teachers can be power hungry and sometimes it feels like the only way to keep a classroom under control. The kids today border on feral. That being said, I have never given a f*** what a kid does during the Pledge. I stand only because as a public employee I believe I have to, but I won't put hand over heart for any stupid rag.
-5
Domeil Mar 28, 2026 +24
> I stand only because as a public employee I believe I have to You don't. I'm an attorney admitted to practice in state and federal court and even I'm not required pledge allegiance to any flag. The pledge is weird. It's one of the most absurd, jingoistic, things we force children to do and we'd all be better if we relegated the pledge to the trash heap of history.
24
KathrynTheGreat Mar 28, 2026 +16
You can believe whatever you want, but nobody has to stand for the pledge or national anthem. I'm a teacher and I've never done the pledge of allegiance in my classroom. There are so many other ways to keep your classroom in control.
16
Faedoodles Mar 28, 2026 +45
When I was in high-school 20 years ago, I didn't say the pledge unless I was in uniform (jrotc kid). Even at that age I had begun to feel disenfranchised by my government. I was rarely questioned about it, and it was usually by the knuckle head kids around me who took offense. The teachers respected it.
45
heartbooks26 Mar 29, 2026 +9
I didn’t say the pledge in high school. My AP Bio teacher (a man) yelled at me for it and made me stand when I tried to remain sitting. It was weird because we got a new [conservative, possibly Mormon?] principal my senior year and she started doing the pledge in the morning; we had never done it my freshman/sophomore/junior years! She also implemented a ton of new restrictive things like not going off campus for lunch, not being able to sign ourselves in, and HAVING TO WEAR LANYARDS WITH OUR IDs! They also installed a crazy security gate at the front and added more “guard” type of people. It was such a jarring transition, I’m just glad I only had 1 year of all that. Btw this was a wealthy public school district of white, Asian, and Hispanic kids (like 1-3 black students per grade).
9
GuiltyLawyer Mar 28, 2026 +18
Bold of you to assume the conservatives on this Supreme Court believes there’s such a thing as settled case law.
18
diadmer Mar 28, 2026 +19
> “Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the teacher said, according to the lawsuit. Wildly unpatriotic take. She liked American freedom of speech so much that she actually exercised it.
19
bkgn Mar 29, 2026 +5
> Not having to participate in the pledge of allegiance is pretty old (1943), settled case law. So was Roe v Wade. And a bunch of other cases...
5
emc_lmt Mar 28, 2026 +498
Is the teacher still employed in this district? I didn’t see anything about that in the article
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spider_season Mar 28, 2026 +223
Apparently she is.  > 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 student who was not in the classroom was Danielle herself." Doesn't sound real 'restorative.' The teacher is Cari Soranno.
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Skyscrapers4Me Mar 28, 2026 +67
 Carissa Soranno
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Lulusgirl Mar 28, 2026 +108
If anyone can answer, I'm also interested, but I live 20 minutes from this school and I know some teachers who may be able to find out.
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Impossible-Fig-8463 Mar 28, 2026 +35
If you find out could you edit and report back to us
35
Lulusgirl Mar 29, 2026 +17
Absolutely, from what I've read online, Carissa was made to undergo training of the first amendments rights? Like, was that it?
17
wolfgang784 Mar 28, 2026 +467
>“Our mission is to foster a school environment that is safe, respectful and welcoming for all,” Merritt said Friday. >The Plymouth-Canton district did not admit liability. Yea ok
467
fevered_visions Mar 28, 2026 +58
I was also curious about this >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. Does "on behalf of" mean it's their money, or...?
58
Alternate_Cost Mar 28, 2026 +48
Some teachers have insurance for lawsuits. I did when I taught chemistry cause I didn't want to be on the hook if a kid threw acid on another kid.
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blipman17 Mar 28, 2026 +10
Okay I’m not from the USA but i have to ask. 1) you are liable for one kid assaulting another? 2) you can get insured for assault?
10
SumoSizeIt Mar 28, 2026 +18
You might not be liable, but it may end up being cheaper to settle than cost of litigation
18
Alternate_Cost Mar 29, 2026 +2
1. You might be. If I don't have evidence that I did every reasonable thing to prevent the situation I could be liable. 2. I'd be sued for negligence/child endangerment. I fortunately haven't had to deal with it. But union usually provides a lawyer and insurance covers the suit.
2
CBennett2147 Mar 29, 2026 +2
The victim receives the money from the insurance company.
2
ColossusA1 Mar 28, 2026 +477
Refusing to stand for the pledge is the most American thing you can do. It's called freedom. Diversity in action, behavior, and decision is people using freedom to express themselves and be themselves. The teacher is a fascist.
477
LovingShiva Mar 28, 2026 +155
I asked my dad when I was in second grade if I had to pledge. He said no. I told my teachers that and it was done. For exactly the reason you stated.
155
WhatamItodonowhuh Mar 28, 2026 +71
Well assuming you went to school more than 10 years ago, you were almost in a different world.
71
LovingShiva Mar 28, 2026 +16
Oh, very much so.
16
fevered_visions Mar 28, 2026 +9
You want to really feel old? 9/11 was over 24 years ago now I was in 7th grade
9
qwertypaso Mar 28, 2026 +7
I’ve been in high school within the past five years and it’s effectively the same. Most kids don’t stand for the pledge middle school and beyond, unless you have a really old teacher, but even then the really old teacher has to be cranky and bully you to stand up.
7
DefinitelyNotAliens Mar 28, 2026 -4
I remember when the first lawsuit over this happened.
-4
alex3yoyo Mar 28, 2026 +24
In 1943? You remember that?
24
horsenbuggy Mar 28, 2026 +11
That was actually reversing a 1940 case that determined kids (and people) could be forced to recite the pledge or be expelled from school. This subject has come up a few times. 1943 is the case that established real freedom around this issue. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more cases after "under God" was added in the 50s.
11
LuciusCypher Mar 28, 2026 -96
Children dont have freedom. They lose their rights as soon as a teacher opens their mouth.
-96
DefinitelyNotAliens Mar 28, 2026 +44
Please see Tinker v Des Moines.
44
Major__de_Coverly Mar 28, 2026 +30
How does that boot taste?
30
No_Doughnut39 Mar 28, 2026 +21
You should stick to anime p*** as it seems to be the only thing you know shit about
21
pgtl_10 Mar 28, 2026 +383
I personally find the pledge of the allegiance to be weird anyway. Too nationalist.
383
MikoWilson1 Mar 28, 2026 +184
That's....all it is.
184
Scarlett_Billows Mar 28, 2026 +99
Yes, it is, in fact, the intended point of the pledge
99
Eledridan Mar 28, 2026 +107
You don’t think it’s normal to compel children to take an oath of allegiance at the start of every day? Or everyone at the start of a sporting event?
107
kilpatrickbhoy Mar 28, 2026 +32
Got some pretty mixed reviews for stating exactly this a couple months ago
32
DefinitelyNotAliens Mar 28, 2026 +23
I never did it some point after middle school when I realized I didn't have to.
23
ObviousAnswerGuy Mar 28, 2026 +10
By high school most of us would just stand. Maybe only a couple kids in the class would actually put their hand on their chest and recite it. This was back in the late 90's.
10
wwhsd Mar 28, 2026 +16
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a sporting event where I have taken an oath of allegiance.
16
Objective_Notice_995 Mar 28, 2026 +21
In my experience, sporting events usually feature the national anthem instead. Close cousins in the incestuous family tree of Nationalism, but at least it's not an oath.
21
wwhsd Mar 28, 2026 +9
The national anthem before sporting event seems to be common in other countries too, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure that Canadian’s have a similar tradition.
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AuriolMFC Mar 28, 2026 +2
no its not, in most coutries the anthem in sport events is only played when its the national team is playing against another national team and both athems are played
2
wwhsd Mar 28, 2026 +6
I was pretty sure the Canadian anthem gets played at hockey games and that when a Canadian team plays in the US or an American team plays in Canada, they play the visitor’s anthem as well.
6
StJsub Mar 28, 2026 +3
Sure, but Canada and the USA aren't 'most countries' In most countries games with non-national teams don't usually play the national anthem before games. A hockey game in Europe between two cities isn't going to play the national anthem before they drop the puck. A game between Edmonton and Calgary will. Even, small non-NHL leagues will play it. 
3
Objective_Notice_995 Mar 28, 2026 +3
Yeah, but that's only because nationalism was/is a thing elsewhere in recent history, too. Thing is, just because something is common doesn't make it right or good. Traditions often stick around long after their meaning and purpose have become invalid or outmoded, because it's often easier for a society to outgrow its habits and to let them fade or evolve than it is to actively shed them. Nationalism is a tool. Those singing its oaths and anthems are more often the material being worked by that tool, not the hand wielding it. Those who benefit from nationalism (or any other social system) will invariably lead the choir in singing its praises. Personally, when I see billionaires and princes getting giddy about an oath or an anthem, I tend to become a little suspicious of whether it actually benefits my kin or kith to join in.
3
AggressiveSkywriting Mar 28, 2026 +7
Happens a lot at school sporting events
7
whiskydyc Mar 28, 2026 +5
It's normal if you consider nationalist indoctrination and brainwashed conformity normal.
5
MrSpiffyTrousers Mar 28, 2026 +18
For extra fun, check out the [salute](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute?wprov=sfla1) that originally went with the pledge
18
SkunkMonkey Mar 28, 2026 +8
I love bringing up the ol' Bellamy salute.
8
Tunafishsam Mar 29, 2026 +1
Maybe that's what Elon was doing on stage...
1
Cranharold Mar 28, 2026 +26
Feels like the sort of outdated thing we would've gotten rid of a while ago if not for all the conservatives that'd throw a fit about it like they do everything. Bunch of overly sensitive cry-babies.
26
barnfodder Mar 28, 2026 +15
The entire rest of the world thinks it's weird.
15
Fair-Internal8445 Mar 29, 2026 +1
I believe it’s common in South Asia, South East Asia, And East Asia. 
1
Conscious-Space1217 Mar 28, 2026 +25
Exactly. I don’t want my kids, myself, or anyone else pledging allegiance to anything. How about we all pledge to think for ourselves?
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Ekillaa22 Mar 28, 2026 +14
Trust me most of the world find it weird too
14
MiG31_Foxhound Mar 28, 2026 -7
My daughter is about to go into kindergarten and I'm not sure if they start saying it then or first grade, but both of my partners agree with me that we're dropping kiddo off after the morning announcements so she doesn't have to say the pledge. All three of us are trans and there's zero chance my child is ever pledging allegiance to a state that declared her parents terrorists based on our identities. Edit: wasn't my intention to bother anyone with this but I'm really glad it did ❤️ fix your shit-hole country
-7
katmndoo Mar 28, 2026 +28
That’s going to run in to attendance difficulties. Might as well just teach her that she doesn’t have to participate.
28
MiG31_Foxhound Mar 28, 2026 -24
They can count her when she arrives? It's a reasonable accommodation and I'm not concerned about it. It's why we have lawyers. 
-24
katmndoo Mar 28, 2026 +10
No, it's not a reasonable accomodation. It's also not one they are required to provide.
10
MiG31_Foxhound Mar 28, 2026 -2
We'll see! 😊 
-2
ImperialTendencies Mar 28, 2026 -4
Is it reasonable that I let the school indoctrinate my child into religious nationalist ideology for a nation that serves wealthy elite while disenfranchising common people and minorities like her own family?  The pledge has been explicitly used to instill patriotism, naturalize immigrant children, and Christianize in the fight against communism. As a working class, socialist, queer, atheist, and according to our federal government enemy of the state, person. I find the pledge abhorrent. It should be abolished. It's completely unreasonable that my child is forced to be company to a worship session before class every day. And if they can't do the reasonable thing, then it's their problem. I have a freedom of religion, and that should include not being subject to cult behavior 
-4
katmndoo Mar 29, 2026 +1
It really should be abolished. But she doesn't have to participate.
1
Bitter-Yak-4222 Mar 28, 2026 +8
as a teacher that's not gonna work and then you could be liable for truancy . an accommodation is for people that have disabilities not just for anybody who wants one ... Just tell her she doesn't have to stand.
8
ImperialTendencies Mar 28, 2026 +2
They do the pledge pretty young. You can say "you don't have to stand, sweetie!" But when they are on their own being pressured by a teacher and around other kids doing it in a relatively conservative area—  I was led to believe as a child that the pledge was mandatory and I would get in trouble for not participating. So for years I just mouthed the words until I realized I was manipulated and could in fact just not do it.  And you can try to steer your kid in the right direction, but ultimately they will be receiving the same manipulation, propaganda, and cult behavior while isolated.  And I'd argue that the pledge is highly religious and a violation of forcing religion on my child. Professing your devotion to the flag, nation, God, and supposed values is some straight up North Korea juche shit. The school should be a place of learning, not of indoctrination into nationalist worship. And I don't want my kid exposed to it let alone pressured to take part in it. I'm not going to let my kid go to ~~Hitler~~ Trump Youth when it gets instituted either 
2
MiG31_Foxhound Mar 28, 2026 -3
Truancy doesn't matter when ultimately, I can just home school her. I have an MA - I'm just as qualified to teach her as the district, and they want her in class, so they're going to work with me. Thanks though! 
-3
mcc9902 Mar 28, 2026 -29
As far as I'm concerned It's just an excuse to get everyone on the same page for announcements. It gives everyone a task to focus on and the important part is actually the moment of silence at the end of it since the intercom can then spread whatever news it needs to without fighting over thirty kids. If it wasn't a pledge it would be something else that everyone has to do together as well.
-29
bellaventurine Mar 28, 2026 +25
…then why not replace it with a statement of positive intention, like this one attributed to John Wesley? "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can."
25
witchspoon Mar 28, 2026 +18
The words “your attention please for announcements” was too simple? Nothing but a nationalist oath would do?
18
No-Bread-1197 Mar 28, 2026 +10
Should've been the Macarena
10
flamedarkfire Mar 28, 2026 +4
Plus side: gets the kids active
4
Bitter-Yak-4222 Mar 28, 2026 +3
omg im a middle school teacher and this would be so much better than the pledge
3
jigokubi Mar 28, 2026 +79
>Danielle Khalaf’s teacher 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,” Laziest, dumbest, most cliched thing you could say. Does that freedom he speaks of happen to include not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance?
79
meganthem Mar 29, 2026 +4
Much like "Jesus", "Freedom" is just a word of power they wave around to pressure people, the original meaning isn't really known to them.
4
hybridaaroncarroll Mar 28, 2026 +976
>“Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the teacher said, according to the lawsuit. This teacher is a garbage human, and deserves to be unemployable for the rest of their lives. 
976
elmatador12 Mar 28, 2026 +403
“In order to enjoy freedom you must give up your freedom!”
403
mdlinc Mar 28, 2026 +89
That sounds like some current admin motto. Prolly print that on money.
89
Violoner Mar 28, 2026 +27
“War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength”
27
0o0o0o0o0o0z Mar 28, 2026 +5
I think someone wrote a book about that.... too bad that about 130 million Americans can only read at a ~5th-grade level. Never mind that the average reading level for Americans is ~7-8th grade... and that the book I mentioned, which might have been written to describe exactly what is happening to America, really needs around a 9-10th grade reading level and comprehension to understand.... Odd, huh?
5
Visual_Collapse Mar 28, 2026 -1
Just America?
-1
0o0o0o0o0o0z Mar 28, 2026 +3
Being one of the largest and only superpowers left with what was the envy of the world (our education), yes, I'd say America. Not that the Brits and other EU nations haven't F'd up... but they didn't invade Iraq, Afghanistan, or Iran... or elect a felon, coup attempting child rapist... so yes, I'd say we Americans are the fu*king dumbest.
3
flamedarkfire Mar 28, 2026 +4
“Oh that’s brilliant. We should put that on our currency!”
4
yuanshaosvassal Mar 28, 2026 -38
The teacher is obviously human garbage… And the lack of publicly list punishment for their remarks is disturbing… Having said that legally children in US schools do have significant restrictions on typical “freedoms” ie the student could’ve faced valid punishment if reciting the pledge of allegiance was part of a grade, and/or failing to participate in a class activity was against school rules (regardless of how asinine)
-38
Shirofang Mar 28, 2026 +47
Courts have ruled that students have a first amendment right to not say the pledge of allegiance
47
Local-Friendship8166 Mar 28, 2026 +202
The teacher had absolutely no idea what freedom is.
202
Lobster_fest Mar 28, 2026 +118
Most conservatives don't. To them, Freedom isn't really a concept, its just a stand in for the values they hold, which they assume every proud American must also hold. They went through school hearing about how great freedom is and how great America is because it is free, without internalizing what that freedom actually provides.
118
HikerDave57 Mar 28, 2026 +9
My fundamentalist LDS brother-in-law tried to tell me that freedom means the ability to do the right thing. I pointed out to him that according to his (and my old) religion Satan was cast out of heaven for proposing that very idea. As a thoughtful and intelligent man he did agree with me.
9
Visual_Collapse Mar 28, 2026 +4
Yeah, Satan is a good guy in that book
4
anarcho-slut Mar 28, 2026 +4
The so called usa has always been a white settler-colonial empire. Freedom for resource hoarding and labor stealing white men to do as they please, at detriment to everyone else. All improvements (or regressions) to the original formation and legislation of this government towards equality have been fought and killed for in one way or another. As we all participate in a capitalist economy, we are (partly) all fighting for the equal opportunity to hoard resources and steal labor from others.
4
leftnotracks Mar 28, 2026 +1
Or what it cost.
1
GarbagePailGrrrl Mar 28, 2026 +92
Garbage human here, please don’t associate my kind with the likes of this teacher
92
hybridaaroncarroll Mar 28, 2026 +17
My apologies, your garbage is unique and far superior to this bottom-dwelling instructor.
17
MikeOKurias Mar 28, 2026 +12
r/beetlejuicing
12
trashcatt_ Mar 28, 2026 +2
Yeah! Its hurtful!
2
JustSmallCorrections Mar 28, 2026 +18
I live in this country and enjoy it's freedoms, in fact I "fought for our freedoms." I don't like it. I wonder where this teacher thinks I should go.
18
MentokGL Mar 28, 2026 +32
You're free to do what we say! F****** pathetic
32
Arboreal_Web Mar 28, 2026 +14
> enjoy its freedom So…the freedom to not be compelled in our speech, to not have to recite the pledge. That freedom, right? R-right??
14
Lazy-Interests Mar 28, 2026 +29
“Well I don’t have freedom in my country because of your country, perhaps your country should stay out of other countries.”
29
DoctorCybil Mar 28, 2026 +12
Starting in like 7th grade? I stopped standing for the pledge of allegiance, and I had a couple teachers try to force me to. I, being the smart ass I still am, asked where in the school rules it was required for us to do the pledge of allegiance. Anyways yeah I won that argument and they quit trying to get me to do it pretty quickly. Idaho is a weird mix of hyper-patriotism and libertarian outlaw beliefs.
12
PianoMittens Mar 28, 2026 +4
Keep your eye out for this teacher to pop up on r/notadragqueen any day now
4
seedless0 Mar 28, 2026 +4
The teacher perfectly demonstrated why many don't like their so-called freedom.
4
Sburban_Player Mar 28, 2026 +6
and yet they’d probably have been instantly fired if they had talked about gender or sexuality, this country is so f****** backwards
6
AvailableReporter484 Mar 28, 2026 +3
All those world war veterans would be so thrilled to know they risked everything just for fascism to come back here lmao
3
vasion123 Mar 28, 2026 +1
I would pay actual money to see this teacher take a Civics test.
1
maybeinoregon Mar 28, 2026 +61
I seriously don’t understand why we are still doing this odd indoctrination stuff in schools. What has the pledge got to do with reading, writing, and arithmetic?
61
trashcatt_ Mar 28, 2026 +8
For real. I remember thinking it was super weird when I was in elementary school. Its weird, creepy, cult like behavior.
8
Fluttermun Mar 29, 2026 +2
I never said the pledge correctly in school because I didn't understand it with my ESL brain, so I just made sounds that were similar to the words being said by the other students lol I kinda get the point of it now, but it never meant anything to me then
2
Drapausa Mar 28, 2026 +27
"Enjoy its feedoms" .. oh the irony..
27
SkunkMonkey Mar 28, 2026 +9
I can't wait for the Bellamy salute to make a comeback. /s in case you're an idiot.
9
vasion123 Mar 28, 2026 +22
The entire concept of a PLEDGE is that it is recited without duress.  It becomes meaningless if you are forced to say it.
22
Inevitable-Bison4179 Mar 28, 2026 +29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute
29
zeroxaros Mar 28, 2026 +11
By the time I got to high school, pretty much no one stood for the pledge of allegiance just because we didn’t feel like it. The whole thing is such a colossal waste of time and is cultish honestly. If we need a pledge to get people to show respect or allegiance or whatever to the country, it probably means we are doing something wrong.
11
Kataphractoi Mar 28, 2026 +11
Should have never been a dispute to begin with. People have had the right to sit down and not take part in the Pledge for ages now, but somehow we have to keep relitigating this. Conservatives need to pull their heads out of their asses.
11
RobutNotRobot Mar 28, 2026 +16
> “Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the teacher said, according to the lawsuit. Honestly f****** pathetic by the teacher. This needs to be covered in teacher training(and my guess is that it is).
16
DireBare Mar 29, 2026 +2
Not in my neck of the woods, but it should be.
2
witchspoon Mar 28, 2026 +11
To force someone to pledge allegiance to anything is nothing but indoctrination. I glad this girl was vindicated, but unless policy changes on a lot of places this will be ongoing.
11
vercertorix Mar 28, 2026 +8
Just so that teacher knows, it’s not a binding agreement in any case, minors can’t make legally binding agreements, schools get them to say it for indoctrination purposes. WKUK - Pledge of Allegiance skit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2BfqDUPL1I
8
SeverePsychosis Mar 28, 2026 +8
Lol I didn't stand or recite the pledge for 6 years. This teacher is wack
8
KitchenBreadfruit237 Mar 28, 2026 +8
As an ex Jehovas witness this should have never been an issue. I never pledged allegiance
8
Zyrinj Mar 29, 2026 +3
Anecdotal experience but if I made a venn diagram of ‘people upset about not doing the pledge of allegiance’ and ‘people that condone doing thing that go against our constitution’ there’d be a pretty big pop of people that overlap. We really need to pay teachers better to attract better talent.
3
Disastrous-Ad1857 Mar 28, 2026 +9
I’m a teacher and I don’t stand for the pledge. I don’t force my students to do and I will not say a damn thing about it. It’s their right to not stand, a right I wear a uniform to defend and was severely injured in the process of doing so.
9
emomatt Mar 28, 2026 +2
It's a law in my state (Washington) for the teacher to ensure the pledge is performed every day and that those who don't participate stay quiet. I speedrun it as fast as possible. My wife's school doesn't do it at all, but I'm not sure how they are able to get away with that.
2
RelevantDress Mar 28, 2026 +7
A friend of mines a teacher in washington and they just do the ‘flag exercises’ part of the law. They say, all rise for the flag. Then everyone stands. Then they wait a moment and because no one started reciting it, there were no students with desire to recite it so the teacher fulfilled the laws requirements. You can look up the law RCW 28A.230.140. Its a bit of a loophole as it is poorly written.
7
Chav Mar 28, 2026 +3
The teacher is included in the ones that can stay quiet. They can just announce pledge time and sit for 30 seconds.
3
RainyDayColor Mar 28, 2026 +2
To clarify -- Washington statute does not require that the pledge be performed by anyone, whether teachers or students. It requires that the daily exercise provides an opportunity for those *desiring* to say it. If no one wants to, then it doesn't happen. >RCW 28A.230.140 >United States flag—Procurement, display, exercises—National anthem. >The board of directors of every school district shall cause a United States flag being in good condition to be displayed during school hours upon or near every public school plant, except during inclement weather. They shall cause **appropriate flag exercises** to be held in each classroom at the beginning of the school day, and in every school at the opening of all school assemblies, at which exercises **those pupils so desiring** shall recite the following salute to the flag: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". Students not reciting the pledge shall maintain a respectful silence. The salute to the flag or the national anthem shall be rendered immediately preceding interschool events when feasible.
2
DireBare Mar 29, 2026 +1
In Idaho, the SCHOOL is required to lead the pledge . . . but individual staff cannot be forced to recite or lead the pledge. Pretty sure it's the same in Washington and other states. I've always wondered, what if no staff at the school are willing to recite and lead the pledge?
1
Capable_Bad_3813 Mar 29, 2026 +8
> Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country, This is wild take saying that to a Palestinian. She would go back to her country if her country wasn't stolen by a US ally.
8
Braided_Marxist Mar 28, 2026 +13
Impressive to be so principled at a young age
13
Desperate_Tax8711 Mar 29, 2026 +3
The teacher may have been born in USA, but she doesn't understand what it means to be American.
3
Disused_Yeti Mar 29, 2026 +2
I refused to stand in high school 30+ years ago and no one batted an eye. But I guess it was different in a non crazy school district
2
440ish Mar 29, 2026 +1
The pledge of allegiance was a marketing gimmick developed to sell flags. Vastly better would be a pledge from the USA every morning back to the students, "We the USA, pledge to provide for your safety and health, acknowledge and atone for our racism and crimes, and work daily to keep and maintain these goals."
1
hybridaaroncarroll Mar 29, 2026 +1
> marketing gimmick developed to sell flags. If that's true, then it's the most American thing ever.
1
440ish Mar 29, 2026 +1
"Francis Bellamy reportedly wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in two hours, but it was the culmination of nearly two years of work at the Youth’s Companion, the country’s largest circulation magazine. In a marketing gimmick, the Companion offered U.S. flags to readers who sold subscriptions," https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/pledge-allegiance-pr-gimmick-patriotic-vow-180956332/ So much of accepted daily life was born out of bullshit. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Kellogs " A diamond should cost 2 months of your salary." DeBeers And top honors goes to the 2nd amendment, ensuring that armed slave militias would stay armed.
1
ram_fl_beach Mar 28, 2026 +4
I never stand or do anything for these ceremonies, was awkward at the elementary school 5k. I was the only one, i had my back to the flag. I am damn brave lol. But those pledges are why people are being harmed today. Stand firm, dont participate.
4
ThymeWayster Mar 28, 2026 +5
"Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country." She was living in this country and enjoying its freedom by exercising her first amendment rights. If the teacher doesn't like it, maybe the teacher should go to a different country.
5
E1M1_DOOM Mar 28, 2026 +5
>“Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country,” the teacher said, according to the lawsuit. What a dumb racist shit. In the same breath, the teacher namedrops the freedoms that this country affords us while criticizing a person's decision to exercise those freedoms.
5
KhakiDockerman Mar 28, 2026 +4
So weird. I’m an elementary teacher and I tell my kids they don’t have to stand if they don’t want to, but to stay quiet. None of my kids stand. It’s awkward when someone else walks in and insists they stand and I tell them my students aren’t required.
4
One-Coffee-413 Mar 29, 2026 +1
And still Trump won the state easily , this state voted for Jill Stein in huge numbers !!!
1
dglennb Mar 28, 2026
According to the lawsuit, she suffered "emotional injuries including nightmares and strained friendships." She added, "It was terrifying at times, scary to face a teacher and overwhelming with the attention that came with the publicity." For the record, I think having everyone chant the pledge of allegiance is dumb. Of course, she has the right to protest. But she doesn't get to dictate the response. What did she expect to happen? Everyone to pat her on the back? That's not bravery, that's just farming for upvotes. If you take a stand on an issue like this in the real world, then you should be prepared to stand up to the inevitable blowback, which won't always be pleasant.
0
DireBare Mar 29, 2026 +10
As a teacher myself . . . f*** that. Teachers have no right humiliating a student for any reason, much less over the f****** pledge. There is a reason why the district lost this fight.
10
dglennb Mar 29, 2026 -2
Well, sure. Teachers shouldn't humiliate students. Glad we have that settled. But imagine that a boy wears a MAGA hat to class. Let's say that the teacher treats the boy rudely and now the boy feels "humiliated". Teacher totally at fault? Should the boy now be able to sue the school district?
-2
Pintsize90 Mar 29, 2026 +1
Literally yes! If there’s a policy against political shirts then the teacher should send the boy to the office or home but otherwise they should treat all their students equally.
1
theapplekid Mar 29, 2026 -2
> Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don’t like it, you should go back to your country If only the U.S. wasn't supporting the occupying entity which prevents Palestinians from returning
-2
koebelin Mar 29, 2026
"With liberty and justice for all". It ends well!
0
diablol3 Mar 28, 2026 -15
Looks like someone's maple syrup futures tanked.
-15
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