June 12, 2017

Educator Punished for Graduation Prayer, Referencing Jesus

Dr. Kent Medlin is known around Willard, Missouri, as one of those guys who speaks from his heart. For the past 14 years, he’s been the superintendent of schools. He’s a good man, a Christian man.

Dr. Kent Medlin is known around Willard, Missouri, as one of those guys who speaks from his heart.

For the past 14 years, he’s been the superintendent of schools. He’s a good man, a Christian man.

Last May, Dr. Medlin delivered an address during commencement exercises at Willard High School. And being a Christian man, it was not all that surprising when he referenced the Bible and the Lord and invited folks to join him in prayer.

The Springfield News-Leader reported on the superintendent’s remarks. He used an acronym, GUTS — for grit, understand and teamwork. It was the “s” that got him in trouble.

He told the crowd that everyone needs somebody or something that will guide them to the finish line, the newspaper reported.

“For me, that S stands for my Savior,” he said.

It wasn’t too long after the superintendent said “Amen” that several members of the graduating class came down with a raging case of microaggressions.

The near-hysterical snowflakes hollered about being offended and demanded an apology.

“I came there to graduate, not go to church. It kind of ruined the rest of my night,” Preston Schaeffer whined to the newspaper. “That was the last night of my high school experience and he chose to talk about religion instead of graduation.”

Oh, the humanity of it all. The nation weeps with you, gentle snowflakes.

“The fact that he put his rights over our rights, it really offended a lot of us,” student Ashlynn Bradley told the newspaper.

In the aftermath of the graduation ceremony, Dr. Medlin offered an apology.

“If my behavior was offensive to anyone then I am truly sorry,” he said. “I in no way wanted to offend anybody. That was not my intention.”

But it turns out his gracious apology only enraged the anti-Christian mob in Willard. It demanded that he be punished for daring to invoke the Lord’s name in public.

And it turns out the school board was more than willing to oblige.

Earlier in the year, Dr. Medlin had announced his retirement plans. His last day in office was June 30.

But instead of doing the decent thing and allowing the superintendent to retire in peace, the school board slapped him with a suspension.

“The leave will continue through June 30, 2017 when Dr. Medlin’s contract expires,” the board said in a statement. “The board’s action was based upon the board’s belief that Dr. Medlin’s High School Commencement Speech violated Board of Education policies regarding prayer at school sponsored events.”

It was a shameful decision — but not all that surprising seeing how Christians are treated like second class citizens in many public school districts around the nation.

Truth be told, had the superintendent been waving a rainbow flag and wearing a pink “Nasty Woman” hat, he probably would’ve been offered a contract extension — and a standing ovation from the snowflakes.

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.