Five days after he graduated from Campbell County High School, Micah Price finally received his diploma from school officials after it was withheld because he went off script in his commencement speech and encouraged his classmates to find Christ.
Price’s defiance of school rules has been the subject of a feverish debate online since a video of his speech went viral, with many supporters praising him as “brave.”
Superintendent Shelli Wilson told WKRC that Price was selected by his principal to deliver an approved speech that allowed him to thank his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” but not proselytize. However, Price urged his classmates to find Christ, telling them “He is the light. He is the way, the truth and the life,” a paraphrase of John 14:6.
Price said on TikTok, “I was told beforehand I wasn’t allowed to bring up Christ, that He is the way, the truth, and the life in my speech.”
“I did anyways, and after the speech was over, one of the principals came and tapped me on the shoulder very politely and professionally and told me I was going to have to go in front of the board and explain what I did because I went off script.”
Instead, he met only with principles of the school. Of that meeting Price said, “It was a very quick and painless process……An answered prayer. We got the diploma.”