By Todd Starnes
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.
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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. They 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.