Erica Corderalong with 15 other valedictorians were asked to give a short speech at the 2006 Lewis-Palmer High School graduation ceremony in Monument Colorado.

Each student was given 30 seconds to speak. All of the students prepared comments had been previously submitted to administrators for review. Ms Corder, claiming to have been called by her faith, choose to deviate from her prepared speech ... full text here ... and stated the following;

We are all capable of standing firm and expressing our own beliefs, which is why I need to tell you about someone who loves you more than you could ever imagine. He died for you on a cross over 2,000 years ago, yet was resurrected and is living today in Heaven. His name is Jesus Christ. If you don't already know Him personally, I encourage you to find out more about the sacrifice He made for you, so that you now have the opportunity to live in eternity with Him.

Parents and students, including some of her fellow valedictorians, complained that Corder had been proselytizing and that her comments were inappropriate.

After the ceremony, she was escorted to the assistant principle's office where she was told that, because of her speech, she would not receive her diploma.

According to Corder's complaint, in a meeting 5 days later with (then) principle Mark Brewer, Brewer informed her that she could get her diploma by issuing a public apology.

Corder told Brewer that "I wouldn't apologize for what I said" .."But I was okay apologizing for not asking permission and making it clear that it was my own viewpoints".. Brewer looked over the apology and told her to include the following... "I realize that, had I asked ahead of time, I would not have been allowed to say what I did."

Concerned that her college admission may be in peril, she sent the apology via email to Lewis-Palmer High School community, including parents, apologizing for failing to disclose the content of her speech.

Corder and her parents have now filed a lawsuit ... pdf file here ... against the school district. The complaint puts forth that Brewer telling Corder to use words she didn't believe were true were a violation of the 1st amendment.

The lawsuit also cites a violation of Colorado Student Free Expression Law which is suppose to give all public school students the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press.

According to Corder, the purpose of the lawsuit is to clarify free speech for future students. Corder and her parents are not seeking a monetary damages other than legal fees. The district issued a press release ... pdf file here ... that claims their actions were "constitutionally appropriate" and vowed to "vigorously defend the claims."

So what do you think? It this a persecuted Christian? A student who's free speech rights were violated? Or a school that was legally exercising it's own policies. Or?

If you take the time to ponder, some previous cases to consider are Lee v. Weisman, .. Tinker v. Des Moines and Morse v. Frederick (Bong Hits for Jesus).

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