District spokeswoman Robin Adair, Supt. Raymond Blanch and Board President Jes Raintree did not return phone messages, according to the local newspaper, the Gazette. But the paper reported Adair said in an e-mail the district had reviewed the situation.

"We are confident that all actions taken by school officials were constitutionally appropriate. As a result, we intend to vigorously defend the claims," the e-mail said.

The action contends Corder's First Amendment rights of free speech were violated when school officials "refused to present her with her diploma unless she issued an apology for mentioning Jesus Christ." It alleges a violation of the 14th Amendment right to equal protection because officials treated religious speech "differently" than nonreligious speech.

Liberty Counsel said before graduation in May 2006, Principal Mark Brewer told the valedictorians they could choose one student to speak, or all 15 could deliver 30-second messages. The students chose to all participate and picked a general topic for each speaker. Corder and one other student were assigned to deliver concluding messages.

The law firm said each valedictorian gave a proposed speech to the principal ahead of the graduation. Then during her 30-second message, Corder added some comments about her faith in Jesus.

"We are all capable of standing firm and expressing our own beliefs, which is why I need to tell you about someone who loves you more than you could ever imagine. He died for you on a cross over 2,000 years ago, yet was resurrected and is living today in heaven. His name is Jesus Christ. If you don't already know him personally I encourage you to find out more about the sacrifice he made for you so that you now have the opportunity to live in eternity with him."

After the graduation ceremony, she was escorted to see an assistant principal, who told her she would not get her diploma because of her speech.

Principal Brewer said her comments were "immature" and advised her she only would get her diploma if she apologized to the "school community," Liberty Counsel said.

Because she feared the school actually would withhold her diploma and that officials would put disciplinary notes in her file and generate negative publicity that could affect her plans to become a teacher, she wrote a statement that the message was her own and not endorsed by the principal.

Then Brewer demanded she include the words: "I realize that, had I asked ahead of time, I would not have been allowed to say what I did," Liberty Counsel said.

Corder and her parents met several times with school officials, without resolution, and Liberty Counsel eventually wrote to the school on their behalf, explaining the First Amendment violations and requesting an apology from the district for the forced e-mail.

"The school board has thus far taken no remedial steps. Meanwhile, Erica continues to be the subject of public criticism from school officials," the lawsuit said.

"Valedictorians have the right to express their religious viewpoints while at the graduation podium," said Mathew Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of the Liberty University School of Law. "School officials have no right to threaten young graduates that their diplomas will be withheld. The school district's action in forcing Erica Corder to write an e-mail apologizing to the community for exercising her right to free speech is shocking."

Corder, 19, now is a student at Illinois' Wheaton College, an evangelical liberal arts school. She told the Gazette she wants the district to understand what happened to her was wrong.

Her father, Steven, said the lawsuit was a last resort, after the district declined to respond to any other requests.

"Really, our hope is that any valedictorian would know clearly that they can speak about what is important to them," he told the newspaper. "It's really so that the Constitution can be turned to as the governing document in this type of situation.

On the Gazette's forum, a reader wrote, "Good for you Erica! I hope you win your case! I'm sick and tired of how we're told that we must kowtow to every liberal fragment of society .... But it's becoming more and more acceptable to declare open season on Christians."

Another added: "I think that schools need to start handing out a little more info on God and stop giving out condoms or info on sex, marriage and violence. That is what is wrong with this world now. Everyone is trying to do away with GOD. Wake up America!"

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