Micah Price went off-script during his high school graduation speech and received a mere slap on the wrist

Jun 01, 2024

An arrogant high school senior used his graduation speech to turn a celebration of his classmates’ achievements into a personal platform to convert people to Christianity.

The district, eager to avoid any lawsuits, is now insisting this happened without their knowledge.

The problem began when Micah Price was tapped to deliver a speech at the Campbell County High School graduation. That honor is usually reserved for valedictorians or class presidents, but some schools allow graduating students to apply or audition for the opportunity, and Price was selected. He submitted the speech he planned to give, got it approved, rehearsed it in front of administrators, and was told that deviating from the remarks “may have repercussions.” He was also reminded that “graduation is a celebration for all.”

And then he deviated from the remarks.

Instead of opening with any thoughtful words or congratulating his fellow students, Price had a message for the Jews, Muslims, atheists, and other non-Christians in the audience: Convert!

“Before another word is to meet my mouth,” he explained, “I must give the honor, the praise, and the glory to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

He continued:

… I'm here to tell you if you don't have any of those things in your life, and you can't seem to find the answer, that my Lord and Savior is your answer. He will give you the truth, give you the way, and the life.

What a thoughtless message to send to your classmates: Whatever anxiety you may have at this stage in your life can be cured with Christianity. Whatever you believe, if you’re not a Christian, is a lie and you’re being steered in the wrong direction.

The rest of his speech, while mostly secular, was unmemorable.

But the situation posed a problem for the school district because it was the administrators’ job to approve students’ speeches. If they said yes to a speech promoting Christianity, they could be sued—and they would lose.

That’s why district officials took quick action to say they had nothing to do with this. They approved his first lines, giving personal thanks to Jesus, but never signed off on the exhortation that others should convert.

Superintendent Shelli Wilson says Price's principal chose him to give a speech at the graduation. Administrators approve the speeches which are rehearsed by students.

Wilson says Price was approved to thank his "lord and savior Jesus Christ" at the beginning, and then he was supposed to continue into his speech. Instead, he encouraged his classmates to find God.

…

"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 Wilson said in a statement to Local 12.

In a separate statement to Local 12 news, the superintendent added that, while “many of us are proud of this young man's beliefs and are practicing Christians ourselves,” the district had to think about the broader context. What if a student told people how to vote? Swore? Put political statements on their graduation caps and gowns? They wanted the graduation to be neutral, in that sense, so that everyone would feel welcome. (Also, what a weird and unnecessary way to wink at the audience by saying they’re proud of Price’s faith because they’re Christians too.)

What repercussions did Price face? He didn’t get his diploma at the same time as everyone else. Instead, he only received it after a private conversation with the principal. (He was originally supposed to explain his actions to the school board, but that apparently changed to the one-on-one.)

On TikTok, Price admitted he broke the rules: “If anyone is in the wrong, it’s me. I went against school policy, school rules, I went against that because I serve a Higher Power.” (As if being a Christian grants him the ability to break whatever rules he wants.)

I don’t think he deserves a more serious punishment. He got his diploma, albeit on a delay, and that should be the end of it.

But what’s telling in the videos Price has posted since graduation is that he has no clue why his comments were a problem. He thinks he just colored outside the lines, but it’s justifiable because he’s Christian, so he’ll accept the slight backlash.

What he doesn’t seem to understand is that the Christian graduates in the audience almost certainly have the same anxiety as everybody else.

Or that he took a moment when he was supposed to be representative for all students and made it all about himself and his faith.

Or that what he said was a slap in the face to the religious minorities in the audience, who have arguably spent years dealing with arrogant Christian classmates like Price and are now, finally, able to break free from them.

Or that there’s nothing courageous about expressing your Christian faith when Christians are in the majority (and have a tendency to bully religious minorities).

Or that what he did was the height of Christian privilege, because there’s no way in hell a Muslim or atheist trying the same stunt would have gotten away with it like he did. (You can bet the consequences would have been much more serious.)

Or that the last memory his teachers and administrators will ever have of him is that he created a bigger hassle for them on his way out. (Some people have sent threats to administrators for even the minor punishment.)

Or that he thanked the people who gave him his education by lying to them about his intentions at the ceremony.

Or that the graduates got to that day by working their asses off instead of praying and that, by telling them to worship his God, he was unintentionally denigrating all the studying and sacrifices they made.

Price may have graduated from high school, but he’s proof that having a diploma doesn’t mean you have any wisdom.