BAYONNE, N.J. — Bayonne High School valedictorian Jeremy Jerschina had wanted to give a heartfelt speech at his graduation ceremony June 20. A religious young man bound for Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., this fall, 18-year-old Jerschina said that to speak from the heart as he addressed his graduating class, he had to speak to God as well.
But Principal Richard Baccarella and the Bayonne Board of Education would not let him speak if he included a prayer — so he didn’t speak at all.
On graduation day, Jerschina said Baccarella told him that if he decided to give the speech without the prayer, he could signal the principal as he sat on stage to be recognized as valedictorian and that Baccarella would give him time to speak. Jerschina said that put him in a position where he had to “either rip out my beliefs or stay silent.”
“God and Christ are the reason I did how I did in high school and are what I stand for most,” Jerschina said. “The principal and superintendent said I could do the speech if I left the prayer out, and I told them that I’d rather do the whole thing or not at all.” Superintendent of Schools Patricia McGeehan said the school district would have been breaking the law had it allowed Jerschina to speak.
Share with others: