Some days, high school kids simply can’t catch a break. One bright Kentucky lad, Micah Price from Campbell County High School, learned this the hard way after daring to stray from the approved graduation script. Oh, the audacity! On May 24, as his peers were probably half-asleep in their seats at Truist Arena, Northern Kentucky University, our brave Micah threw caution to the wind and praised his beloved Jesus Christ. Was the principal thrilled? Spoiler alert: no, not really.
Price was initially given the green light to give a nod to Jesus, but like any good rebel, he decided to go full throttle. “Class, before another word leaves my mouth, I must give the honor, the praise, and the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ,” he boldly announced. The crowd? Oh, they loved it. The applause was deafening. School officials? They probably started drafting an angry email that very moment.
But did Micah stop at that? Of course not. “Who in his very words tells us he is the light, he is the way, the truth, and the life,” he continued, seemingly on a roll. He essentially told the audience that Jesus, not a counselor or a life coach, was their answer. The crowd was all cheers, but the school staff? You could probably hear the collective groan from the next county over.
After his impromptu sermon, school officials couldn’t wait to have a ‘chat.’ “After the speech was over, one of the principals came in, tapped me on the shoulder, very politely and professionally told me that I was going to have to go in front of the board and explain what I did because I went off script,” shared Price in a TikTok video. Ah, high school – where rebellion often meets bureaucracy head-on.
High school, am I right?
♬ original sound – Micah Price
Now, here’s the kicker: the school had actually allowed Price to sprinkle his speech with some Jesus love. However, they had made it clear to stick to the preapproved script like glue. Superintendent Shelli Wilson defended the school’s choice, saying, “All speakers were told that going off their submitted speech, or any unplanned choices at graduation, may have repercussions as they would at any school function. Off-program choices such as speech, signs, and caps in support of any cause or religion, injecting inappropriate language, or political election statements could lead to something other than this outpouring of Christian faith.” Sounds like someone’s been practicing their corporate jargon.
Price wasn’t one to back down, though. He confessed that while the school had removed his additional preaching from the script, he decided to go ahead anyway. “I think it was fine that I thanked him, but going in and urging them to follow him and urging other Christians to stand up and talk about him might be the thing they didn’t want,” he told WKRC.
Despite the scolding, Price was hardly ready to declare war. He admitted that the school officials were just doing their jobs and took the responsibility on himself. “I do no one’s bidding but God. So, if anyone’s in the wrong, I am. I deserve to get punished,” he humbly stated. He eventually got his diploma after a long holiday weekend and called it “an answered prayer.”
Oh, but the story doesn’t end there. This guy, unshaken and unapologetic, is now headed to the US Air Force Academy. “Holding it is just an answered prayer, that’s all it is, just an answered prayer,” he repeated, demonstrating that unwavering faith can occasionally outplay school politics.
In a world that cringes at the mere mention of religion, Micah Price’s story is both a breath of fresh air and a stark reminder of the tightrope walk between free speech and institutional control. Standing up for what you believe in might cost you a stern talking-to and some bureaucratic hassle, but hey, being a rebel never did come easy.
