Mention Jesus At Graduation And You May Have To Apologize

School officials quickly distance themselves from the statement made by the school valedictorian, so as to not appear to "condone" the statement, and then demand an apology from her as well:

(AP) MONUMENT, Colo. A high school graduate who used her commencement speech to urge families to learn about Jesus Christ has acknowledged said she did not tell school officials she planned to make the remarks.

Lewis-Palmer High School officials asked Erica Corder to tell the parents of other students that educators did not condone her remarks at the May 25 commencement. School officials said that would have been a violation of the Constitution.

In her part of the valedictorian speech, the 18-year-old Corder said, "If you don't already know (Jesus) personally, I encourage you to find out more about the sacrifice he made for you."

Corder said she planned the remarks for months but did not tell school officials or the other 14 speakers, who had cooperated on drawing up a speech and who each took a part in presenting it. Corder went last.

All this Jesus talk has school officials pondering corrective action:

Lewis-Palmer School District Superintendent Dave Dilley said the district has no policy on commencement speeches but is considering whether it needs one.

No Jesus speak at school! Allah, however, is apparently ok.

In a recent federal decision that got surprisingly little press, even from conservative talk radio, California's 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled it's OK to put public-school kids through Muslim role-playing exercises, including:

Reciting aloud Muslim prayers that begin with "In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful . . . ."

Memorizing the Muslim profession of faith: "Allah is the only true God and Muhammad is his messenger."

Chanting "Praise be to Allah" in response to teacher prompts.

Professing as "true" the Muslim belief that "The Holy Quran is God's word."

Giving up candy and TV to demonstrate Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

Designing prayer rugs, taking an Arabic name and essentially "becoming a Muslim" for two full weeks.

Others, however, have rejected the ACLU and censorship of prayer and Christianity.