A high school senior spent the last 4 years working hard to earn valedictorian but now that its time to give the speech, she is being punished for her faith.
A Michigan high school senior was selected as valedictorian for her graduating class and she wanted to invoke Jesus Christ in her graduation speech, according to her principle this is not allowed.
From The Daily Wire:
Hillsdale High School principal Amy Goldsmith initially criticized senior Elizabeth Turner’s graduation speech for “anything associated with death and living a meaningful life, commenting that ‘a commencement ceremony is literally about new beginnings, not endings,” First Liberty Institute, which is representing Turner, claims.
In a letter to Goldsmith, First Liberty noted that Turner altered her original version and included these two paragraphs:
For me, my future hope is found in my relationship with Christ. By trusting in him and choosing to live a life dedicated to bringing his kingdom glory, I can be confident that I am living a life with purpose and meaning. My identity is found by what God says and who I want to become is laid out in scripture.
Whether we want to admit it or not, not one of us can be certain of how our lives will unfold, but we do know that trials will come. The reality of this is that we face an unpredictable future, and while we are making all these plans to prepare, ultimately none of us are promised tomorrow, making it all the more important to make today count.
The principle took issues with these lines and asked that the student change the line. The teenager and her family quickly got in touch with a lawyer as this could have been considered a violation of the 1st amendment.
Although a challenge to the original speech was issued by the school principle the districts superintendent has now stepped in and told the student that the district will in no way trample on her 1st amendment rights.
The slide has already started. When “we the people” allow terrorist groups to dictate; through burning, destroying, looting and killing, then America is definitely on its way to destruction.
Those who reject the Judaeo-Christian tradition undermine the cornerstone of our Western and especially American civilization. Chesterton warned us that those who do not believe in God will believe anything. The nation will cave to ten thousand moralities which are relative and equally valid. With no valid universal standards for conduct, for right and wrong, the nation will then inevitably slide down into the black pit of barbarism.