A high school in Illinois allegedly ordered its valedictorian to cut out Jesus Christ in his speech minutes before he was to address his graduating class.
Sam Blackledge, 18, of West Prairie High School said that the school principal told him his speech was not appropriate for the event as it was not a religious ceremony. He says he was then asked to remove any mention of Christ, Christianity and God from his message.
The teenager with a 4.0 GPA initially declined and instead offered to say a disclaimer before his speech but he says the school said no. He told Fox News that he was devastated because everyone knew of his devotion to Christ.
"Christ is the only reason I was a valedictorian," Blackledge said. "He's the reason I got that 4.0. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be up there. I was giving Him the credit for that."
The valedictorian's speech tackled goodness, justice, love and forgiveness. He also wanted to remind his fellow graduates on the importance of their relationship with God to guide them in their next journey.
Blackledge said that he's considering suing the school for violating his constitutional rights. The valedictorian has approached First Liberty Institute for legal help.
"They'd do well to remember, as 'Tinker v. Des Moines,' the case in 1969, reminds us, that students do not shed their constitutional rights when they walk through the schoolhouse gates," the non-profit group's lawyer Jeremy Dys told reporters.
Blackledge and his lawyers are set to meet with the district superintendent this week. The school, on the other hand, is also consulting with its legal team and hasn't addressed the issue in public.
