A Kentucky high school allegedly held a graduate’s diploma when the student went off script during his graduation speech to preach his belief in Jesus.
Micah Price received the green light to praise Jesus Christ in his commencement speech at Campbell County High School in Alexandria, KY on May 24, but followed his address with “urging other Christians to stand up.”
“Class before another word leaves my mouth, I must give the honor, the praise and the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ,” Price said to a packed Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University.
His oration received a resounding applause from the audience before he continued with his holy message.
“Who in his very words tells us he is the light, he is the way, the truth and life. Class, anyone in the audience today, I’m here to tell you that if you don’t have any of those things in your life and can’t seem to find the answer, then my lord and savior is your answer.”
While Price shifted his prepared remarks, school officials weren’t pleased with his off-script moment and confronted the graduate after the ceremony.
The school reprimanded Price and denied giving him his diploma.
“After the speech was over, one of the principals came in, tapped me on the shoulder, very politely and professionally told me that I was going to have to go in front of the board and explain what I did because I went off script,” Price said in a video posted to TikTok on Sunday.
The school district had allowed Price to thank his “lord and savior Jesus Christ” before telling him to read off the preapproved script.
“All speakers were told that going off their submitted speech, or any unplanned choices at graduation, may have repercussions as they would at any school function,” Superintendent Shelli Wilson told WKRC.
“Off-program choices such as speech, signs, and caps in support of any cause or religion, injecting inappropriate language, or political election statements could lead to something other than this outpouring of Christian faith,” Wilson said.
Price claimed he had the full set of preaching to his classmates in the script but was told to take it out before it was approved.
“I had that in my script, and they told me that I was; they said that it was a public institution; and they didn’t want to divide their audience or my audience because I was speaking,” Price told the outlet. “I think it was fine that I thanked him, but going in and urging him to follow him and urging other Christians to stand up and talk about Him might be the thing they didn’t want.”
Price told his TikTok followers that he had no bad blood with Campbell County or the principals as they were “just doing their job.”
He also took full responsibility for the incident saying he went against school policy because “he serves a higher power.”
“I do no one’s bidding but God. So, if anyone’s in the wrong, I am. I deserve to get punished.”
Price received his diploma on Wednesday after a long holiday weekend.
“Holding it is just an answered prayer, that’s all it is, just an answered prayer,” Price told the outlet.
The incoming US Air Force Academy cadet says he has no regrets and would “do it again times two.”
