High School graduation is one of the biggest events in a teenager' life. 18-year-old Maddi Runkles is no exception.
However, the straight-A student was told by her private, Christian school that she won't be allowed to attend. The reason? She's pregnant.
"That is everything I worked for and that's the night to acknowledge it," she said. "Graduation is a very big deal and I'll be the only one not there to celebrate it with my friends," Maddi said.
According to Today, Maddi and other students at Heritage Academy sign a pledge to remain celibate before marriage. Her principal, David Hobbs, published a letter online and sent it to parents explaining their stance.
“Let me clarify some facts. Maddi is being disciplined, not because she’s pregnant, but because she was immoral,” Hobbs wrote.
He pointed out that all students at the school must sign a pledge to protect their bodies "by abstaining from sexual immorality and from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs."
The Runkles family were taken aback by his decision to publicise her situation. Her parents said, "In disciplinary situations, each Heritage family deserves confidentiality. The conduct of your children is not everyone’s business.”
"My principal told me he wanted to hold an assembly to tell people what had happened, and I told him I'd prefer if I could speak to them and have it come from me rather than him," Maddi said.
Despite the criticism levelled at Heritage Academy, particularly from pro-life groups supporting Maddi, the school is sticking by its decision. Hobbs said that this decision was in Maddi's best interest. He said, "For her to be exposed to that kind of public scenario would be uncomfortable for her."
In a statement to NBC News, Hobbs said the school is now being bullied because of numerous media stories about the situation. "Please tell America that we are not disciplining Maddi because she chose to keep her baby boy. For that we commend her," he said.
Pro-life groups, however, have praised Maddi for deciding to keep her child and have urged the school to reverse its decision. "The school is afraid of what this looks like, that they have a pregnant student," said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America.
Maddi, who is five months pregnant, is expecting a baby boy
