Pregnant at 18. Hailed by Abortion Foes. Punished by Christian School

You wrote:

an interesting thought is that both over-indulgence and legalism … seem to take a decided leap away from Scripture, IMO

I agree with that. I have two overarching points here:

1. Different people have the same motivations and will make different decisions, for a variety of reasons - their own context is key
2. When it comes to Christian discipline in the church (and in parachurch institutions), I think our mental image of God plays a large part. We tend to see God, and Jesus, through our own filters. There is a good man at my church who clearly has a filter of love. He is far too mushy and ecumenical for my taste. Every text usually winds up with some practical application for love. It is his filter. We all trend towards one filter or the other, and I contend this “filter” is really our idea of what God’s controlling attribute is.

In this thread, we can see people’s different filters, their grid for interpreting the various Biblical texts. This also explains the dogmaticism and passion different people have shown about their positions on this matter. Different filters can be a good thing; they balance each other. On a practical level, I am more and more convinced we need a plurality of elders in local churches. It’s almost as if Solomon was right - a multitude of counselors is a good thing!

The CDS is in essence a business … the church is a ministry

So then what, really, differentiates us from the free public school system other than separation (read: isolation) from ‘sinners’ and that people pay more?

We require that they learn Bible stories?

I would hope that the aim of a CDS is to * train disciples * for future use by the Lord, not just cramming heads full of facts and calling it ‘Christian’.

If the day school is simply a business, that would explain a lot of problems we have—look at Jim’s list and process per Matthew 18:15-19, and you’re going to have a disconnect. So while I appreciate the reality that it is sort of a business, I don’t think you can run it as anything but a ministry, a branch of local churches, without doing serious damage to faith as people see things run “Businesslike” instead of Biblically.

I think most Christian Day Schools would not consider themselves a business, but rather a non-profit ministry that utilizes certain business systems to function. However, since a Christian Worldview is woven throughout every subject taught in a CDS along with emphasizing community, spiritual formation, and discipleship, there is a definitely a similar emphasis on ministry that mirrors what happens in the church. The best Christian Schools find ways to come along side of the church rather than compete or replace what the church does in its discipleship/teaching of adolescents. I know I’m being picky, but discipline at a CDS is done on multiple levels by teachers, coaches, volunteers, and of course the principal/board in conjunction with the parents. My point is some of these distinctions that Jim makes are more blurred than we’d like to think.

My wife is a ParaPro teacher at Northpointe Christian (325 High Schoolers) that our kids attend, working with students that have learning disabilities and mental health issues. You’d be surprised at the large number of students that have experienced trauma and abuse in their past. Even though the majority of students come from more affluent backgrounds, a decent amount of students have been exposed to or been a victim of trauma and abuse. Therefore, Christian Schools like Northpointe by necessity have to emphasize a church-like family environment in order to thrive.

“[Maddi Runkles] was even surprised with [a] $16,000 scholarship from Students for Life of America, an anti-abortion organization. She plans on taking college classes online in the fall.”

http://nbc4i.com/2017/06/06/pregnant-teen-barred-from-graduation-thrown-personal-ceremony-with-friends-and-family/

……but for a very different reason:

“An Indiana high school student was forbidden from walking the stage to get his diploma while wearing his Marine uniform at his graduation ceremony.

Jacob Dalton Stanley graduated in December from Crown Point High School. He completed Marine boot camp on Friday, and flew home to attend his senior class’ graduation ceremony. During practice, Principal Chip Pettit reportedly told Stanley that he was not allowed to wear his uniform at the weekend graduation. Stanley decided to wear his dress blues anyway.”

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/08/marine-uniform-gets-high-school-student-turned-away-from-graduation.html?cq_ck=1496937514413

…it’s probably about conformity and the towns. I grew up 15 miles away, and Hobart is fiercely blue collar, while Crown Point is more white collar. Makes a difference around there. Or we could joke that Crown Point wanted to remind the world that academic robes were originally clerical robes, or perhaps their Marine got his Expert badge with crossed rifles (can’t allow that), where the girl from Hobart is a Sharpshooter with a cross hanging there. Of course, that could be a problem too these days.

“Student Rights & Resources

Notice of Nondiscrimination

BJU is an equal opportunity institution that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, veteran status or genetic information. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, admission to and enrollment with the University, including but not limited to recruitment, selection, hiring, placement, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, discipline, termination, educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, scholarship and loan programs, housing, athletic and other university-administered programs and activities.”

http://www.bju.edu/life-faith/student-handbook.pdf [See page # 46.]

–––––––––––––—

Miss Runkles applied to, was accepted to, and was planning to attend BJU. Now she will not be attending BJU, as widely reported in the media.

Did she choose to not attend?

(Does anyone know?)

Or did BJU rescind its acceptance of her application?

If so, how might the policy above (“BJU is an equal opportunity institution that does not discriminate on the basis of…sex (including pregnancy)”) be applicable (or conversely not be applicable)?

I’m just looking for insight here……..

Larry, I think the student handbook or other admissions documents might answer how BJU would address this. That said, I’d be surprised if she hadn’t made the call herself. First of all, the baby is due in late summer, which would make starting school at that time incredibly difficult. Going forward, she’d be trying to be a mom and student hundreds of miles from her family—not easy to do. Finally, I suspect that she and her family are going to be wary of fundagelical institutions going forward.

And really, hopefully her dad and mom are pushing those first two reasons HARD, and that’s entirely in keeping with the idea of a father’s headship, no?

[Bert Perry]

Larry, I think the student handbook or other admissions documents might answer how BJU would address this. That said, I’d be surprised if she hadn’t made the call herself. First of all, the baby is due in late summer, which would make starting school at that time incredibly difficult. Going forward, she’d be trying to be a mom and student hundreds of miles from her family—not easy to do. Finally, I suspect that she and her family are going to be wary of fundagelical institutions going forward.

And really, hopefully her dad and mom are pushing those first two reasons HARD, and that’s entirely in keeping with the idea of a father’s headship, no?

I was more-or-less thinking it was her choice, for that reason alone………

Let’s say she had chosen to still go, live off-campus, and arranged for or had some support/assistance to help (childcare; what not). All hypothetical obviously, but I was just curious if she’d still be permitted to attend, according to the policy stated………

Major immorality results in a suspension for one semester, whether that’s a crime, having a baby out of wedlock, or drinking a beer. So we’d have about the same discussion if she’d wanted to go to BJU as we have all the time, more or less, just with the added feature of “what are you thinking to go 500 miles away from your support system when you are so vulnerable?”

[Bert Perry]

Major immorality results in a suspension for one semester, whether that’s a crime, having a baby out of wedlock, or drinking a beer. So we’d have about the same discussion if she’d wanted to go to BJU as we have all the time, more or less, just with the added feature of “what are you thinking to go 500 miles away from your support system when you are so vulnerable?”

Thanks; that’s helpful.

My guess is that she ‘unenrolled’ at some point before this blew up in public.

As for BJU, I don’t see any way they could ‘discipline’ Maddi before she even started her Freshman orientation…but who knows? Someone out there might think that not only could they do so, but that that they should discipline her. After all, she was offered an acceptance letter…

/sarcasm