BRAWLEY, Calif. – California student Brooks Hamby believes God played a significant role in his life, and is a big reason why he was named salutatorian of his graduating class at Brawley Union High School this year.

That’s why Hamby spoke openly about his faith during his graduation speech in June, despite orders from school officials to keep the Lord out of his comments.

A video of Hamby’s graduation speech has since gone viral online, prompting attorneys at the Liberty Institute to demand an apology from the school district for attempting to censor the student’s speech. District officials, however, aren’t backing down from their ban on religious references and appear to be gearing up for a legal battle over the issue, the Christian Post reports.

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The Brawley Union High School District recently hired an outside law firm to defend against potential litigation from the Liberty Institute and claims it’s the district’s “obligation” to prevent students from sharing their religious beliefs.

“I can’t believe they’ve signed what appears to be at least a three-year contract,” Liberty Institute attorney Jermey Dys told Breitbart News. “It seems they are settling in for the long haul. They probably either see deep pockets in this school, or they’re expecting a big payday at the end of all of this.”

The irony is that Hamby’s graduation speech encouraged his classmates to stand up for their convictions, and to do what’s right regardless of the consequences.

“In life, you will be told ‘No,’” Hamby said.

“In life, you will be asked to do things that you have to desire to do. In life, you will be asked to do things that violate your conscience and your desire to do what’s right,” he said. “Be the salt of the earth. Be strong and stand for your convictions and stand for what’s right, what is ethical, what is moral and what is Godly, no matter what is the cost to you. Stand for what is good wherever you go and whatever you do.”

Hamby, who’s moving on to Stanford University this fall, told The Desert Review he’s learned a lot from the experience and he’s disappointed that Brawley officials continue to stand behind their attempt to censor his speech.

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“Hopefully, it will inspire someone else to realize that it’s OK to stand up for their religious freedoms and speak openly about their faith and not fear a school district, a school, or a school administrator,” he said at graduation after school officials rejected three previous drafts of his speech. “The message the school wants to give is that it’s illegal. I find that unfortunate.”

In a 10-page response letter to Liberty Institute’s request for an apology, attorneys with the San Diego law firm Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud and Romo wrote “it is well established in the Ninth Circuit and California that a public school salutatorian has no constitutional right to lead a prayer or include sectarian or proselytizing content in his/her graduation speech,” and that “censorship of the speech was necessary to avoid an Establishment Clause violation.”

While it’s difficult to understand how Hamby’s comments could be interpreted as sectarian or proselytizing, that’s beside the point. School officials have no “obligation” to prevent students from expressing their religious beliefs, whether at graduation or any other time.

The separation of church and state, a principle designed to ensure religious freedom, prevents schools from promoting one faith over another. There’s no reason school officials couldn’t allow students to reference their religious beliefs, as long as they don’t discriminate against any particular religion.

The decision by Brawley officials to censor Hamby’s comments is appalling, but their decision to pursue the matter through expensive legal action is just plain ridiculous.