After being told she could not include references to her faith in Jesus during her high school valedictorian speech, Michigan student Elizabeth Turner sought legal action to protect her first amendment rights. She wanted to talk about her personal faith in God and how that is where she finds purpose and meaning.
The Hillsdale High School principal, Amy Goldsmith, reversed her decision to censor Turner’s faith from her speech, per a First Liberty press release.
“We are grateful to school officials for acting swiftly to ensure that religious students can freely exercise their right to express their faith in a graduation speech,” said Keisha Russell, counsel for First Liberty Institute. “Elizabeth is thrilled that she’ll be able to celebrate her graduation without being censored. We hope that future graduates will be free from religious censorship. Student valedictorian speeches are the private speech of the students, and so schools cannot censor these religious viewpoints.”
Turner also offered her gratitude and relief of being able to express her faith openly at the June 6 commencement. “I’m grateful I will be able to share my faith with my classmates,” she wrote. “And I pray that God uses this situation to advance His kingdom.”