A student in the US was banned from participating in her high school graduation because she is pregnant.

Maddi Runkles attends Heritage Academy, a private Christian high school in Maryland. The school claims that Maddi, who is 25 weeks pregnant, broke the school's rules by having sex outside of marriage, according to Fox. All students are made to sign a pledge at the start of the school year which includes a promise to abstain from "sexual immorality." "It’s like a small school and it is such a big deal and I am the only one that is not going to be there that night to walk to the stage," she said. “The difference is consistency because we have had other students that have had serious infractions and they have walked in the past and they are allowed to walk this year,” added her father Scott Runkles. He was president of the school board but resigned when Maddi revealed that she was pregnant. The school has defended the school decision to exclude Maddi from the ceremony. “I believe that every situation should be evaluated individually,” said Principal Dave Hobbs. “When it comes to a precedent, I don’t believe that a precedent always guide decisions that are made in the future.”