WINDSOR, Va. -- The Rutherford Institute filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a former high school student who, along with a friend, was denied permission to sing a song at graduation because the lyrics contained religious content.

AgapePress reported that Windsor High School officials would not let Anna Ashby and her friend sing "The Prayer," a song recorded by pop artist Celine Dion. School officials argued that because the song referred to God, it violated the so-called "separation of church and state" clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Ashby's attorney, John Whitehead, said the school trampled on his client's right to free speech. He said since the school asked for volunteers to participate in the commencement activities, it opened a public forum.

"Once you do that, the Supreme Court says you can't discriminate against a religious viewpoint, which Windsor High School is doing here," he said.

The Oscar-nominated song, written by songwriters Carole Bayer Sager and David Foster, was featured in a 1998 animated film and expresses what many would consider universal sentiments, according to the news service.

The lyrics contain only one direct reference to God:

"Help us find a place, guide us with your grace / Give us faith so we'll be safe / A world where pain and sorrow will be ended / And every heart that's broken will be mended / And we'll remember we are all God's children / Reaching out to touch you."

Whitehead said the school did not accord Christian teenagers the same rights of other students.

"Other students sang alma mater songs and gave speeches and did other things," he said. "They're just not treating them equally with other students."

He said Ashby wants the policy declared unconstitutional and for the school to ensure that other Christian students will not be subjected to the same type of discrimination in the future.