(ChurchLeaders) High school valedictorian Elizabeth Turner has been told by her principal, Amy Goldsmith, that she cannot mention her faith in Jesus—or death—in her graduation speech, set to take place on June 6. First Liberty Institute has sent a letter to Goldsmith, informing the principal that she is violating federal law by limiting Turner’s religious expression.
“Too often, we have seen well-meaning school officials who think they are complying with the Establishment Clause mistakenly go too far and censor the private speech of students, violating students’ rights under the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses,” said First Liberty, which describes itself as “the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty for all Americans.”