Silke Jasso
The Maryland Christian school that barred a pregnant senior from attending graduation is not backing down from the punishment.
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Maddi Runkles, the student with a 4.0 GPA who broke the school’s code of conduct by having sex before marriage, was forced to step down from her leadership positions, was suspended for two days and won’t be allowed to attend her own graduation after choosing to keep her baby and admitting to the school that she is pregnant.
Despite public objection and calls from anti-abortion groups to reconsider the punishment, Heritage Academy’s principal David R. Hobbs argued that Runkles is being punished “not because she is pregnant but because she was immoral. […] The best way to love her right now is to hold her accountable for her morality that began this situation.”
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“It’s because I’m pregnant and you can see the results of my mistake,” Runkles responded to the principal’s statement in an interview with the Washington Post. “There have been kids who have broken the student code and they could have hurt people or even gone to jail and they only received an in-school suspension and they’re allowed to walk this year. The school is worried about its reputation, but I think they’re missing out on an incredible opportunity to set an example for the pro-life community and Christian schools about how to treat guys and girls like me.”
Hobbs believes Runkles should be held accountable for her actions and thinks doing so will teach other students to follow the rules.
“The breach of a standard of abstinence is a grievous choice,” he said. “Maddi made a grievous choice. We do believe in forgiveness, but forgiveness does not mean there’s no accountability.”
Pro-life groups, however, have criticized the school’s decision, saying it might actually encourage more young women to have abortions out of fear of embarrassment and punishment.
RELATED: A senior was barred from her Christian high school’s commencement because she was pregnant
“It’s a bad decision,” said Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life who calls the punishment “antithesis of what it means to be Christian.”
“I was horrified when I learned that they wouldn’t let her walk at graduation,” Mancini said. “Usually when a woman is facing an unwanted pregnancy, especially a young woman, there is a sense of shame that comes into play and can have an impact on her decision and often does.”
Runkles admitted that the situation has made her question whether she made the right choice in deciding to keep her baby, but added, “I chose life and sometimes it feels like it wasn’t worth it, but then it’s been kind of a blessing because I have a big platform to help other people.”
