PLN 5

PLN 5
In the article Monument teen appeals over Jesus graduation speech what matters is constitutional rights. Erica Corder was denied her diploma after mentioning Jesus in her 30 second valedictorian speech. She was told that if she didn’t apologize she would not graduate. The school claims that because it was a “school sponsored speech” it was not okay for her to reference God. Erica claims that the first amendment gives her the freedom of speech. I think that it was wrong for the school to force her to apologize. America was based on freedom specifically freedom of religion therefore it would be right for people to express what they believe. She wasn’t making anyone else believe what she did, she didn’t even claim that that is what the school believed, she was simply saying what she believed. This incident reminds me of another I heard about happening in the science community of America. There are some very respected scientist that have been fired or considered uncredible after they mentioned the idea of intelligent design or evolution with a creator. They never claimed it to be the truth, what they believed or what they organization believed however they were fired as a result of it. This country calls themselves a free nation but Erica’s incident and ones like it make me wonder just how free America is and if our rights as human beings are really protected.