The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List offered the following comment in support of Maddi Runkles, the Maryland high school senior who was barred from participating in her high school graduation ceremony because she is pregnant.
“The decision to choose life is not always easy, and certainly not always popular with a culture that promotes convenience over personal responsibility. Maddi made a courageous choice to love and protect her unborn son and she deserves compassion and support, especially from fellow Christians. We urge Heritage Academy to reconsider their decision not to allow Maddi, a 4.0 student, to walk with her peers at graduation. This extended punishment – doled out months after Maddi told her school she was pregnant and asked for compassion – sends a terrible message about the Christian community’s response to teen pregnancy and unexpected pregnancy. Heritage Academy is heaping guilt and shame on a young woman who has made a life-affirming decision when she did not have to. The reaction of the pro-life Christian community should never leave a mother second guessing her choice for life. Maddi and her son deserve better.”
Students for Life of America is leading the charge to support Maddi, asking activists to take three actions:
- Email Dave Hobbs ([email protected]), the principal at Heritage Academy, and ask him to please reconsider the school’s decision not to allow Maddi to walk with her peers at graduation.
- Send a message of support to Maddi who spoke at the group’s #Sockit2PP rally last month.
- Make a donation to SFLA’s graduation reception for Maddi to include a scholarship and baby gifts.
