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Balance between Christian Values of Pro-Life and Abstinence

D

Dalek

Member

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/christian-high-school-bars-pregnant-teen-from-graduation-ceremony/

A Christian high school is defending its decision to discipline a pregnant student.

Heritage Academy, in western Maryland, banned Maddi Runkles from participating in her graduation ceremony next month.

In many ways, Maddi was a model student, earning straight A's this year while serving as president of the Student Council.

Maddi admits she made a mistake, and considered having an abortion. She decided against it, and says the punishment she now faces isn't fair, reports CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford.

"It just wasn't going to be the way that I, um, had ever planned it to go," Maddi said.

After learning she was pregnant, Maddi knew she'd have to put her college plans on hold and face consequences at school.
Click to expand...

On considering having an abortion, Maddi said, "You're taught that it's wrong, and you know that it's wrong. And I never thought that I would consider it, but it was just the fear and what I've seen girls like me go through."

Instead, she confided in her mother, Sharon.

"Wow. 18 and a mom. And then the next thought that went through my head is, 'How are we going to get her through her senior year?"' Sharon said.

Students at Heritage Academy sign a pledge that includes a promise of "abstaining from sexual immorality." School officials suspended Maddi for two days and removed her from leadership roles in student organizations. They also banned her from walking in her graduation ceremony next month.

"So it's just dragging out my punishments. Continual punishment."

Maddi said she thinks the punishment should be the same that other students face when they break the student code.

She claims she's willing to accept the consequences, but says other students who break their pledge aren't held out of graduation.

The family reached out to the anti-abortion group Students for Life, which warns this could be a "turning point causing many students to turn away from the pro-life and Christian message". They say the school should not punish the 18-year-old for her decision to keep her baby.

"This is for Maddi. This is for her," said Heritage Academy principal Dave Hobbs.

Hobbs sent a letter to parents saying the school is "pleased that she has chosen not to abort her son" but that "she was immoral" by not abstaining.

He explains the school's teachings are grounded in religion.

"She has fallen short of what's described in the mission statement; does that make sense?" Hobbs asked Crawford.

Discipline, he says, is handled on a case-by-case basis, with Maddi's case being a compromise. Some people wanted her expelled.

"We love Maddi, we forgive her. We want her to be viewed as part of the Heritage family, but there's still accountability necessary," Hobbs said.
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impregnate me if old
 
G

Guevara

Member
I mean, I get it.

Her mistake in their eyes was having sex at all.

Not having the abortion isn't laudable (to them); it's the bare minimum.
 
S

SpaceWolf

Banned
Dalek said:
impregnate me if old
Click to expand...

Moppeh said:
I think we already have a thread for this.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
M

ModernBoxes

Banned
Guevara said:
I mean, I get it.

Her mistake in their eyes was having sex at all.

Not having the abortion isn't laudable (to them); it's the bare minimum.
Click to expand...

It's not up to the school what that girl does in her personal life. Punishing her for having sex is like your job punishing you for keeping the toilet seat up at home.
 
F

FyreWulff

Member
No surprise. It's never about protecting life, it's about making sex as dangerous for women as possible, both biologically and socially.
 
M

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
It's all about life being sacred and has nothing to do with controlling women and punishing them for sex, right?

Is the father banned from graduating (assuming he goes to that school too)?
 
F

fabricated backlash

Member
I grew up in a deeply Christian and devout speck of Europe, and even here shit like this is 60 years out of date. Fucking hell, get out of the middle ages.
 
T

TheOctodad

Member
http://heritage-academy.net

May 22, 2017



Dearest Heritage Family:

As I begin, please understand that my wife and I have fallen in love with the people of Heritage Academy. Therefore, it is for Heritage’s protection that I write this.

The main reason I have been silent to this point is because in disciplinary situations, each Heritage family deserves confidentiality. The conduct of your children is not everyone’s business. This perspective would have been the best way to deal with Maddi Runkles’ disciplinary situation. However, her family has chosen to make her behavior a public matter. Before sending this letter, I contacted Scott Runkles who gave me permission to discuss this publicly. In my thinking, these were the two to protect: first Maddi, then Heritage, in that order. Unfortunately, both are now being hurt by those who do not know or understand the situation. For this sole reason, I am now willing to comment publicly.

Let me clarify some facts. Maddi is being disciplined, not because she’s pregnant, but because she was immoral. The Student Pledge which every student from 5th grade through 12th grade signs states that this application of Philippians 4:8 “extends to my actions, such as protecting my body by abstaining from sexual immorality and from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs”. Heritage is also pleased that she has chosen to not abort her son. However, her immorality is the original choice she made that began this situation. Secondly, she will receive her diploma that she has earned.

Much has been said about grace. I believe that there are two kinds of grace: saving grace and living grace. One is concerning spiritual birth “once and for all” (Hebrews 9:12, 10:10) which demanded no effort on my part, because my Savior Jesus, finished this on His cross and from His empty tomb. The other kind of grace is spiritual growth that does demand my effort (2 Peter 3:18). It also includes discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11). A wise man told me that discipline is not the absence of love, but the application of love. We love Maddi Runkles. The best way to love her right now is to hold her accountable for her immorality that began this situation.

As I conclude, I have two concerns. First, I am concerned that my Heritage family feels that the Board and I are harsh, cruel, hard-hearted men. Nothing can be further from the truth. We have spent countless hours in prayer and discussion. The Board has listened to three appeals from the Runkles family and compromised all three times. Secondly, I am concerned about our graduation ceremony on the evening of June 2nd . That night, I want God to be glorified in a dignified manner. Please enable us to do this.

With deepest sincerity,



David R. Hobbs

Administrator
Click to expand...
 
V

Vital Tundra

Member
Punishing someone for out of school factors is ridiculous in itself. Also of course the father, who probably also goes to the school, is Scott free.
 
K

Kthulhu

Member
When even an anti-abortion group thinks you're views on teen pregnancy are too extreme​, you know you're fucked up.

Also, never send you're kids to religious schools. This is what happens.
 
A

azyless

Member
Get shit for having an abortion, get shit for keeping the baby too.
Clear as day that none of these religious assholes give a fuck about young girls and women. Disgusting.
 
A

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
Same thing happened at a Baltimore Catholic school a few years ago.

Maryland religious schools are traaaash (See: The Keepers)
 
G

GoldenEye 007

Member
azyless said:
Get shit for having an abortion, get shit for keeping the baby too.
Clear as day that none of these religious assholes give a fuck about young girls and women. Disgusting.
Click to expand...

They want people, specifically women, punished for having sex. If they had they way, they'd likely force women to wear modest clothes and be submissive to their men.
 
K

kinggroin

Banned
I completely disagree with everything the school is doing here.


But.


They knew the school it was before signing up. Why why why would you agree to attend under these stipulations. I promise more kids have broken the mission statement, just that this one was unfortunate to have that manifest physically.

The family doesn't have a leg to stand on.
 
J

jdstorm

Banned
Kind of Ironic that a "Christian" School are so keen on shaming an assumedly unwed teenage mother. Last time i checked a pregnant teenager played a pretty important role in the establishment of their belief system.
 
K

Kthulhu

Member
kinggroin said:
I completely disagree with everything the school is doing here.


But.


They knew the school it was before signing up. Why why why would you agree to attend under these stipulations. I promise more kids have broken the mission statement, just that this one was unfortunate to have that manifest physically.

The family doesn't have a leg to stand on.
Click to expand...

Probably because they're extremely religious people who'd have no problem with this if it wasn't happening to them.
 
B

bionic77

Member
Here is a hot take, I agree with the school in part.

I agree that more Americans should definitely abstain from sex. Specifically the ones in that school who decided to punish this girl.

They should also abstain from voting, thinking or posting their opinions on the internet.

This could lead to a much better world in the future.
 
C

Corky

Nine out of ten orphans can't tell the difference.
kinggroin said:
They knew the school it was before signing up. Why why why would you agree to attend under these stipulations.
Click to expand...

Because a 14 year old is still an adolescent in every way of the word and perhaps it was up to them which high school they attend/sign up for.

Teen mother and now won't be allowed to graduate for a pitiful reason. Very sad.
 
O

old manatee

Banned
Pro-Life*



*Until the baby is born, or unless it is conceived at the wrong time in which case fuck it and the mother it rode in on.
 
K

Kthulhu

Member
Corky said:
Because a 14 year old is still an adolescent in every way of the word and perhaps it was up to them which high school they attend/sign up for.

Teen mother and now won't be allowed to graduate for a pitiful reason. Very sad.
Click to expand...

Like, it's bad enough that she'll have to deal with being a teen Mom and she may have ruined her life. This is just adding insult to injury.

If they're trying to make an example of her, it obviously won't do shit.
 
K

kinggroin

Banned
Corky said:
Because a 14 year old is still an adolescent in every way of the word and perhaps it was up to them which high school they attend/sign up for.

Teen mother and now won't be allowed to graduate for a pitiful reason. Very sad.
Click to expand...

If it wasn't up to them, that sucks hard. My sympathy remians the same, and I hope they find some kind of retribution.

But I have a hard time believing this school was their only option.

I'm leaning more on they chose the school cause they themselves are Christians that would have had no issue with this kind of disciplinary action had it been another student
 
O

OriginofHysteria

Banned
Corky said:
Because a 14 year old is still an adolescent in every way of the word and perhaps it was up to them which high school they attend/sign up for.

Teen mother and now won't be allowed to graduate for a pitiful reason. Very sad.
Click to expand...

She's graduating, she just can't attend the ceremony.
 
Woo-Fu

Woo-Fu

Banned
Probably should have just expelled her. If you're going to be a Christian high school then be a Christian high school.
 
N

NeoGold123

Member
Checked out the page with the response from Heritage. Big, fat donate button underneath it. "bring all glory to God in the midst of difficult situations." Bring all money to pockets in the midst of being jackasses.
 
T

tbm24

Member
I went to a Catholic High School and had classmates who were pregnant around graduation time. It wasn't a secret and no one said a peep. The school was run by brothers who lived on the top floor and generally were pretty nice when it came to that kind of thing. Though not perfect as one of my favorite teachers was fired for transitioning from male to female while on the job(growing hair, longer nails to eventual dresses). Sad part about it is the teacher had no issues till one parent teacher night led to a piece of shit parent throwing a fit. The minute you stop looking at Catholic and Christian values as a guideline and more like rules is when it goes south in my opinion.
 
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