Lassonde

ORDER

This matter came before the Court on Monday, September 24, 2001, on cross-motions for summary judgment or, in the alternative, for summary adjudication under Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. After careful consideration of the parties’ written and oral arguments, this Court DENIES Plaintiffs motion and GRANTS Defendants’ motion for the reasons described below. Plaintiffs state law claims are dismissed without prejudice.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Nicholas Lassonde alleges that Defendants violated his constitutional and other rights when they prohibited him from giving a salutatorian speech that included proselytizing comments at his high school graduation. The undisputed facts are as follows: Based on his grade-point average, Plaintiff was one of two.co-salutatorians of the Amador Valley High School class of 1999. As a result, he was invited to deliver a speech at the school’s graduation ceremony that year.

Prior to the ceremony, Plaintiff presented a draft of his speech to Defendant Bill Coupe, principal of Amador Valley High School, following Coupe’s request. Coupe reviewed Plaintiffs speech and, in conjunction with the school district’s counsel,…