In a nation where the Constitution protects freedom of speech, and its Supreme Court has ruled that right extends to students in schools, a stunning case has developed in Kentucky where school officials punished an honor-winning senior for speaking about Jesus.

The Christian Post has documented the case involving Micah Price, who got his diploma, finally, five days after he was punished by officials at Campbell County High.

Price’s offense was that he went “off-script” and encouraged classmates to find Christ, in his graduation speech.

Supt. Shelli Wilson told a local broadcast outlet Price was chosen by a principal to deliver an “approved” speech. Officials said they would allow him to thank his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

They banned him from further comments, but when he was at the podium, he told classmates, “He is the light. He is the way, the truth and the life.,” a paraphrase of a popular Bible verse.

He explained school officials immediately ordered him to appear before the school board and “explain.”

And they withheld his diploma.

Later, he met only with principals in his school, and was given his diploma.

“An answered prayer. We got the diploma,” he said.

He added, “I did go against the rules. I should have been punished which I do agree with. … I simply cannot go anywhere without mentioning what my Lord and Savior has done for me and just what he’s brought to me and my life. I did deserve to be punished but through Christ we prevail.”