Federal judge initially barred graduation prayer at Medina Valley HS
A federal district judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction in May 2011 barring student-led prayer at Medina Valley High School's graduation after a non-Christian family sued. The Fifth Circuit dissolved the injunction days later, allowing valedictorian Angela Hildenbrand to give her religious address; the case ultimately settled.
Days before the June 2011 graduation at Medina Valley High School near Castroville, Texas, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a preliminary injunction at the request of plaintiffs Christa and Danny Schultz forbidding student speakers from using prayer language ('amen,' 'in Jesus's name'). The Fifth Circuit dissolved the injunction on June 3, 2011, holding plaintiffs were unlikely to show the speech bore the imprimatur of the school. Valedictorian Angela Hildenbrand delivered a prayer-inclusive address. The underlying suit later settled with the district adopting a policy that student speakers' content would not be reviewed for religious viewpoint.