CANTON, MICHIGAN — A 14-year-old Palestinian-Arab middle school student in Canton, Michigan, settled a free speech lawsuit against the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools District in June 2025. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident on January 10, 2025, when DK did not participate in the pledge of allegiance.

DK said she decided to sit during the pledge of allegiance because she did not feel comfortable standing given the war on Gaza, according to her statement at a February press conference. After the pledge, a teacher told the class "anyone that was sitting down was being very disrespectful to soldiers, to America." The teacher told DK that if she did not like the US, she should go back to her own country. DK later left the room in tears.

In June 2025, the Arab American Civil Rights League and the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan filed a lawsuit against the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools District on behalf of DK, according to court filings.

The settlement agreement included several provisions. The Plymouth-Canton Community Schools District pledged to provide diversity, sensitivity, and First Amendment training for staff. The district agreed not to punish DK and to remove any indication from school files that DK's protest was inappropriate. The district also agreed to provide DK with counseling.

DK called the ordeal "terrifying" and "overwhelming" at times in a statement. "I feel proud of the outcome and of being part of something that reinforces how important free speech is. I've learned that even when it feels uncomfortable or risky, speaking out can make a difference, not just for me, but for others as well," DK said.

Jacob Khalaf said "She had the courage to resist when a person in authority tried to make her relinquish her right to free speech, and then, with the help of the ACLU and ACRL, brought a lawsuit to make sure her first amendment rights, as well as those of others, were protected." The settlement resolved DK's claims regarding the January 10 incident when she chose not to stand for the pledge of allegiance during class.