School District Pays $70K for Banning 'Christ' From Valedictorian's Speech

A Montana school district has been ordered to pay $70,000 in attorneys' fees for banning a valedictorian from speaking at her graduation in 2008 because her speech contained religious references, CBN News reports. Former Butte High student Renee Griffith's speech included the sentence "I don't let fear keep me from sharing Christ and his joy with those around me," and she was told by the Butte School District that she had to remove the references to God and Christ because religious references were not allowed in graduation speeches. A lower court had ruled in favor of the school district, but the Montana Supreme Court overturned that ruling 6-1, saying Griffith's free speech rights were violated.