$44,000-a-year Catholic school that claims to nurture students' 'freedom and independence' threatens to EXPEL sophomore because she has a Planned Parenthood sticker on her laptop
- A sophomore at Sacred Heart Greenwich in Connecticut was told to remove the sticker from her laptop or she wouldn't be allowed to re-enroll
- Parents Brian and Tracy Murray said daughter Katie removed the 'I stand with Planned Parenthood' sticker, but hasn't decided if she'll stay at the school
- The school's head said they discourage the display of anything 'supporting or opposing political candidates, positions or organizations'
- Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and democrat candidate for governor Ned Lamont tweeted support for the teen
- An online petition asking for the school to respect Katie's right to free speech has more than 2000 signatures
A student at a Roman Catholic school in Connecticut was told to remove a Planned Parenthood sticker from her laptop or she wouldn't be allowed to re-enroll, her parents said.
The 'I stand with Planned Parenthood' sticker was one of several on Sacred Heart Greenwich sophomore Kate Murray's laptop.
Brian and Tracy Murray told the Greenwich Time on Thursday that their daughter removed the pro-abortion rights group's sticker so she could attend class this week, but hasn't decided if she'll stay long term.
A sophomore at Sacred Heart Greenwich in Connecticut (pictured) was told to remove a Planned Parenthood sticker from her laptop or she wouldn't be allowed to re-enroll
The 'I stand with Planned Parenthood' sticker was one of several on Sacred Heart Greenwich sophomore Kate Murray's laptop (file photo)
'It is a small sticker,' Tracy said. 'It is not incendiary. It is not vulgar. It is not hurtful.'
Brian Murray said the sticker addresses a political issue about government funding and does not violate church doctrine.
He and Tracy, both attorneys from Wilton, added their daughter is an excellent student and has had no prior issues at the school, where tuition costs $44,000 a year.
'It seemed an extreme reaction to a very small sticker, which puts forth a political point of view about a government funding matter and does not, at least the way I read the sticker, violate church doctrine or specifically advocate the murder of innocent babies,' said Brian, according to Greenwhich Time.
President of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, tweeted her support for the student
Ned Lamont, a democrat running for governor of Connecticut also took to Twitter to support the high school sophomore
The school's head, Pamela Hayes, wouldn't discuss the situation directly but wrote that the school discourages the display of anything 'supporting or opposing political candidates, positions or organizations.'
'Open dialogue is alive and well on our campus and that's why we discourage the displays of slogans and bumper stickers, which in an educational environment can have the unintended consequence of stifling open debate,' Hayes wrote on the school's website. 'We know there are better forums.'
Kate's story has already gathered support from high-profile figures - The outgoing president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, tweeted her support for the student, saying, 'Keep fighting for what you believe in.'
Ned Lamont, a democrat running for governor of Connecticut also took to Twitter to support the high school sophomore.
'I stand with Connecticut student Kate Murray, Planned Parenthood and Free Speech. Sacred Heart Greenwich needs to resolve this,' he wrote.
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An online petition asking for the school to respect Katie's right to free speech has more than 2000 signatures
The school's head, Pamela Hayes (pictured), said the school discourages the display of anything 'supporting or opposing political candidates, positions or organizations'
Moreover, more than 2,000 people have signed an online petition that states: 'Unless Kate is allowed her freedom of speech, all of my future donations that would have been allocated to Sacred Heart Greenwich will now and forever be donated to Planned Parenthood.'
The all-girls school is not a diocesan school, but the Bridgeport diocese has said it supports the decision.
A statement from the diocese says the school should affirm the church's opposition to abortion while respecting the right of students to raise questions about moral issues.
'The Catholic Church's opposition to abortion is almost universally understood, as is its consistent pro-life ethic, which defends the right to life of all those among us, particularly the most vulnerable in our society,' said Bishop Frank Caggiano
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