Each year a local public high school allows the valedictorian of the senior class to deliver a speech at graduation. The school does not provide any guidelines beyond a 10 minute limit. This year, the school learned that the valedictorian planned to include several bible verses in her speech. When the student refused to change her speech, the school told the student she would not be allowed to give her speech at graduation.

Please discuss whether the school's actions violate the Equal Protection Clause insofar as the school allows students with a "secular" message to give their speech but not students who desire to include a religious message in their speech. Please note that most of these cases are generally decided on the Free Speech Clause, Free Exercise of Religion Clause, or Establishment Clause. This question asks you to analyze the facts from an Equal Protection Clause perspective. You should identify the classification (group or fundamental right) involved, identify what level of protection (scrutiny) it will receive, and then apply that standard to these facts to reach a conclusion.

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The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits states from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the l... View the full answer