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UCLA Changes Policy To Allow Student Reference To Jesus In Graduation Statement

By Howard M. Friedman

Once again, the unclear line between student speech and government-endorsed speech at graduation exercises has created a high-profile controversy. Tradition at the UCLA Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology calls for each student to submit a short message ("words of wisdom") that are then read from stage at commencement by a member of the University Administration. Saturday's Christian Post reported that graduating student Christina Popa was told by her faculty advisor that a reference in Popa's statement to "my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" would be read as "God" during commencement ceremonies, to avoid making some of the diverse audience uncomfortable. Popa objected and began a campaign on Facebook to get the decision reversed. Also former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, who had been involved in his own dispute of offering sectarian prayers at public ceremonies, issued a press release and created an online petition supporting Popa. On Friday, UCLA reversed its decision, instead deciding that it would take steps to make clear to the commencement audience that the "words of wisdom" are the personal statements of each student.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 09, 2009 (boomark / email).