After silencing a North Texas high school valedictorian and threatening to sabotage his acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy, the Joshua Independent School District has apologized for their actions.
While Remington Reimer was giving his graduation speech on June 6, Joshua Independent School District officials switched off his microphone as the top graduate switched to unapproved remarks.
Reimer began referencing God and the U.S. Constitution when the audio feed was cut, but he kept talking.
“We are all fortunate to live in a country where we can express our beliefs, where our mics won’t be turned off, as I have been threatened to be if I veer away from the school-censored speech I have just finished,” he said, according to a transcript of the speech. “Just as Jesus spoke out against the authority of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who tried to silence him, I will not have my freedom of speech taken away from me. And I urge you all to do the same. Do not let anyone take away your religious or Constitutional rights from you.”
The next day, Reimer’s father met with the school’s principal, who told the man “that he intended to punish Remington for his perceived misdeed,” and contact the Naval Academy to complain about his character.
“It was intimidating having my high school principal threaten my future because I wanted to stand up for the Constitution and acknowledge my faith and not simply read a government approved speech,” Reimer said.
School district superintendent Fran Marek apologized to Reimer after meeting with him Thursday, the Associated Press reported. Marek wished him “success for all future endeavors.”
Marek denied the district had ever intended to take action on his acceptance to the Naval Academy.
“I always knew that the school district would support me in the end,” Reimer told the Crowley Star. “God bless you, Superintendent Marek and members of the Joshua ISD board of trustees.”
