[SoothingDave]

In May of this year, a Jonesboro student gave a prayer during a high school graduation ceremony at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center. During the prayer, which lasted four minutes, she gave an “altar call” to the community, asking those in the audience to come forward to accept Jesus Christ.

Totally inappropriate and exactly the type of thing that should not be done in a public graduation ceremony.

Wanting to acknowledge God and thank Him is a fine and noble thing. Turning a high school graduation into a conversion experience is stupid.

SD

[goldstategop]

If people feel offended, they can protest or they can leave. Or they can decide to boycott it. Last I heard, its a free country. The fact the ACLU is looking for a plaintiff indicates few people felt it bothered them. Lots of people find things offensive but if we had to make a list of them, every one would be tied up in the courtrooms through doomsday.

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[muawiyah]

Dave, what you think is inappropriate is still Constitutionally permitted, if not required. Yours is a narrow, sectarian view anyway and not worthy of elevation to the level of public policy.

[jonno]

Sounds like you're expressing your opinion. She was given the bully pulpit - let her express her opinion.

You are welcome to disagree - your opinion...

[Kenton]

Totally inappropriate and exactly the type of thing that should not be done in a public graduation ceremony.

I gotta agree, SoothingDave. It was a public University graduation, not a Baptist tent meeting. This young woman hijacked the stage and turned a prayer (which was allowed) into an evengelical appeal directed solely to Christians, with no regard at all to anybody else.

It really gets me upset when schools try to impose restrictions on Christians, but in this case, the school allowed the prayer, but the young woman did something intentionally provactive intended to exclude non-Christians, (including the parents of non-Christian graduates and those graduates), who must have been mortified.

And please don't try to justify this as a First Amendment issue. The First Amendment is not a shield for criticism for stupidity.

This showed very bad judgement on her part and on the part of anybody in a position of authority who may have known about it in advance

[todd1]

I agree... How would people react if a Catholic started mass on the stage at the graduation. Also, an Altar call could take a while and throw the whole graduation ceremony off schedule.

[mpackard]

Well, at my sons graduation the veledictorian gave a speech to the rythm of Green eggs and ham. A student giving a speech on WHATEVER is covered by the 1st amendment. If the school administrators had given an alter call then they might have a leg to stand on. This was a student and not a member of the staff. I thought that Green Eggs and Ham was cheesy and stupid but I didn't call the ACLU.

[Jeff Chandler]

Totally inappropriate and exactly the type of thing that should not be done in a public graduation ceremony.

I agree. However, filing a lawsuit over what amounts to boorish behavior is over kill.

[muir_redwoods]

I agree with Dave. If this young woman had decided to use her bully pulpit to hawk Amway or timeshares, would anyone think it right?