Student secures right to dance to Christian music
Officials backtrack after confronted with threat of legal action
Posted: October 8, 20051:00 a.m. Eastern

After threatening legal action, a California student won the right to perform a dance audition accompanied by Christian music after public school officials barred it.

Lauren Stoudt of West High School in Torrance, near Los Angeles, choreographed a piece to the music "In Your Presence" in anticipation of a dance team concert in January.

School officials, however, rejected her song choice based on its religious content.
"We can all agree that the First Amendment applies to all Americans," said Jeremy Tedesco of the Alliance Defense Fund, a public-interest law firm that assisted Stoudt.

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