A graduate from Kentucky has lost his diploma after going "off-script" during his speech.
Now, graduating is a special moment for those who have worked hard throughout their years in education, but what happens when one little moment just before you're about to secure that all-important certificate ruins it all?
Micah Price learned that going "off-script" during his graduation speech results in some serious consequences after Campbell County High School in Alexandria withheld his diploma.
The student was given the go-ahead that he could praise Jesus Christ in his message, but what he did next, led the establishment to punish his behavior.
“Class, before another word leaves my mouth, I must give the honor, the praise, and the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ,” Price said to a packed Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University.
His statement received a round of applause from the audience, but that's as far as it was supposed to go.
However, he continued with his holy message, urging his classmates to find God.
“Who in his very words tells us he is the light, he is the way, the truth and life. Class, anyone in the audience today, I’m here to tell you that if you don’t have any of those things in your life and can’t seem to find the answer, then my Lord and Savior is your answer," Price added as per news outlet Local12.
Despite receiving yet another round of applause from the crowd, officials at the school were not happy.
Taking to TikTok after the event, the graduate delved into the details of the incident.
"I just wanted to come on here and clear the air on some things," he started the video.
"Currently I do not have my diploma," he confirmed before going on to state that he was told beforehand that he wasn't allowed to bring up the topic of Christ in his speech, but "[he] did anyways."
In another video posted to the platform, he also addressed the hate, using parts of his faith to calm the uproar surrounding the issue.
"I am in the wrong technically, because I went against Campbell County code, the rules," Micah admitted before adding: “Anyone that's taking a hateful route to this I please ask just you know, take a chill pill, take a time out because in John 1, it talks about how it is absolutely impossible to say you're a Christian if you don't love your brother or your neighbor."
He also spoke to WKRC, stating that he had the preaching segments in the script but was told to take it out before it was approved.
“I had that in my script, and they told me that I was; they said that it was a public institution; and they didn’t want to divide their audience or my audience because I was speaking,” Price told the outlet. “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.”
In a statement, Superintendent Shelli Wilson clarified the rules.
"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," Superintendent Wilson explained to WKRC.
"While I know, personally, that many of us are proud of this young man’s beliefs and are practicing Christians ourselves, the principal has to consider the possibilities of students going off the planned program," she also added.
In an update by the New York Post, it has now been reported that Price has now received his diploma, securing the official certificate on Wednesday.
