A Kentucky student had his diploma temporarily withheld by district officials for going “off script” and celebrating his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” as “the light, the way, the truth, and the life” in his graduation speech. Clearly, Jesus Christ is becoming more and more unwelcome in public education.
The government school’s controversial response, which drew national attention to the escalating anti-Christ bigotry that reigns in government schools, was strongly condemned by Christian leaders and free-speech advocates. By contrast, it drew cheers from anti-Christian forces.
Despite eventually relenting and giving Campbell County High School graduate Micah Price his diploma five days later, school officials refused to apologize. Instead, the superintendent defended the ban on free speech and biblical truth spoken freely by students of tax-funded schools in the supposed land of the free.
“Class, before another word is to leave my mouth I must give the honor, the praise, and the glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who in His very words tells us He is the Light, He’s the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” Price declared in his speech in front of his classmates and their families just south of Cincinnati.
The graduate, who reportedly became a Baptist in 8th grade, urged listeners to consider inviting Christ into their own lives. “Class, everyone in the audience today, I’m here to tell you that if you don’t have any of those things in your life, you can’t seem to find the answer, my Lord and Savior is your answer,” he said. “He will give you the truth, the way, and the life.”
Price had already been ordered by school officials not to speak about Jesus beyond a quick thank you, and officials had told him to remove all of the offending Christian remarks before delivering his speech. When he went to get his diploma after defying those orders, the graduate was told by the principal that he would have to “talk to the board” first.
In comments to local media outlets, Superintendent Shelli Wilson defended the controversial response. “All speakers were told that going off their submitted speech, or any unplanned choices at graduation, may have repercussions as they would at any school function,” Wilson was quoted as saying by WKRC.
The superintendent also tried to paint the anti-Christian response as a generic polity. “Off-program choices such as speech, signs, and caps in support of any cause or religion, injecting inappropriate language, or political election statements could lead to something other than this outpouring of Christian faith,” Wilson added.