Student anchor suspended for invoking God

DUPO, Ill. -- A St. Louis-area high-school student said he is off the air because he ignored warnings not to say "God bless" at the end of his daily television bulletin.

James Lord, lead anchor of "Tiger's Eye News" at Dupo High School, was suspended until Feb. 1 because of a holiday greeting that said: "All of us here at Tiger's Eye News would like to remind you to give and not be greedy, and have a safe and happy holiday. God bless," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

As leader of the school's Christian Youth Organization, he is protesting his suspension.

"I'm doing this for me, for anybody else that's religious, and for God," Lord said. He said the blessing could apply to many religions.

Principal Jonathan Heerboth said the school is not against religion but that the message is not appropriate at school.

"We can't allow one person to use school time to express any personal religious beliefs," Heerboth told the newspaper. "We're not going to turn loose our school forum."

Lord said he won't guarantee he won't say it again when he returns to the bulletin, which airs on school televisions.

"I'm not threatening to say it again once I get back on the air," he said. "But there's Easter, or if there is another national tragedy like 9-11, or if there is a student death, it could be appropriate."