I Stand With Kate Murray

I am disgusted with your actions.

I attended CSH for 13 years and my loyalty to the institution has remained steadfast. But upon hearing about this incident from a fellow alumni, I feel I must rescind my allegiance and pledge to make no future financial contributions to the institution I once held in such high regard. Furthermore, I have informed my family of this matter and have been assured that they will follow suit. When I was a student, the Sacred Heart Mission Goals & Criteria were at the heart of every policy decision made, lesson taught, and community event held. What happened to their commitment to promoting “personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom,” or their promise to foster a community with “a deep respect for intellectual values?” Surely we are past the point of arguing that having a “personal and active faith in god” and supporting Planned Parenthood are mutually exclusive. But even if the CSH administration refuses to concede that point, Kate's refusal to remove the sticker in the face of being expelled is proof that the school was successful in instilling in her a “social awareness which impels to action.” I just wish that they respected Kate’s intellectual values enough to allow her to (silently and respectfully) make a statement. And even if they allow her to remain enrolled, which they absolutely should, it is imperative that we not allow them to simply add an addendum to the student handbook banning paraphernalia that could potentially offend faculty members. Students can and should respectfully dissent because they have the God-given right to exercise free will (a concept I learnt much about from CSH theology faculty). It may start with banning Planned Parenthood stickers, but where does it end? What about parents whose cars tote Planned Parenthood stickers? Faculty conduct car pool each morning and afternoon, so surely they are equally as offended by the sticker in both scenarios. Yet I highly doubt that the bumper stickers on the cars of tuition-paying paren

Suppressing student free speech is illegal.

Class of 2007

Unbelievable!

I wish I could be as eloquent as others on social media, but instead I’m just gonna rage sign this.

Pamela Hayes, the administration and the Board of Trustees of CSH Greenwich have historically engaged in repressing student opinions and beliefs that defy their preferred politics, while enabling students who agree with their views to freely grandstand and flaunt everything from "Make America Great Again" hats to pro-abortion speeches without a blink of an eye. The latest threat against Kate is antithetical to the Goals and Criteria and educational environment that the school claims to represent. History has it's eyes on you CSH Greenwich; what side will you choose?

Absolute violation of freedom of expression. So ridiculous.

CSH needs to do better. Shame on them.

In a place that values radical love and human dignity, I cannot fathom such an injustice. Is her opinion not worthy in a space of reflection and academia? Let's learn from this, Sacred Heart.

This is not okay. For supporting something that is helpful to many and is good, one should not, and CANNOT be expelled.

What the school is attempting to do is a disrespect to women, to those who stand with women, and to everyone’s constitution right to free speech.

Class of ‘08. CSH encouraged us to be free, informed thinkers and confident, independent women. This hypocrisy is so disappointing.

Free speech. Planned Parenthood is essential for health services for women

Women rights are human rights

It’s upsetting to hear that CSH, a school that has taught women to be strong, empowered, and always help others, would do something like this. While the First Amendment is a right provided to protect us from government action and not private institutions, I do believe that CSH’s commitment to educate to a social awareness that impels to action includes students promoting Planned Parenthood. Many that seek assistance from Planned Parenthood are people that are poor, marginalized, or even suffering from injustice. Regardless of the Catholic Church’s view on abortion, women have the liberty of choosing to support or reject Planned Parenthood. Rather than expelling her for her convictions, Kate should be praised and supported by CSH for being an active, informed, and responsible young woman. She is merely demonstrating her deep understanding of Sacred Heart’s Goals and Criteria, a quality that the school should be proud of. I Stand With Kate.

I'm an alum and extremely pro life. I believe the same as what catholic faith does aka in accordance to what CSH teaches. Nevertheless, even I realize that is absolutely NO REASON to threaten a student with being expelled. Sacred Heart, how about try to listen to others opinions and attempt to understand why they believe what they do instead of shoving your beliefs down the throats of young women and expecting them to want to cooperate and then threatening them if they don't. It's 2017, for being a "place of education" you should think about that and educate ya damn selves.

As a 1986 graduate of Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, I am disappointed and distressed to hear that Sacred Heart of Greenwich is punishing students who are expressing their views on important issues related to women's health. I have always valued that my Sacred Heart education included classes and open discussions around social and economic justice, ethics and faith. They were open, respectful discussions where I - even as vocally pro-choice young woman - was taught to consider complex issue within an ethical framework, even as I learned to respect views different from my own. We need this kind of respectful ethical discourse even more today. Educate and listen... don't silence. The way it seems Sacred Heart of Greenwich has chosen to approach students voicing their support of an important organization involved in women's reproductive heath and justice, seems antithetical to what I believe is valuable about a Sacred Heart education.

I am a CSH Greenwich Alum of 2013. I stand with Planned Parenthood and Kate Murray! I am extremely disappointed in CSH staff with how they've treated Kate, and not to mention the horrific message their sending to the rest of the community by imposing on her freedom of expression. Planned Parenthood is a great organization that helps many people for a variety of reasons, not just abortions. While I am pro-choice and believe more people ought to support women having control of their own reproductive health, that frankly has nothing to do with this petition. I hope that CSH staff behind this will finally have their "God moment", a come-to-Jesus have you will, and let Kate return to school with all the Planned Parenthood stickers she can get her hands on. PS My sister who also graduated two years ago wore a PP pink shirt on civis day and nothing was brought up then. Why this? Why now?

After spending years at this school and constantly feeling repressed and unable to express my individuality I cannot understand how they can take it this far. Sacred Heart spent years teaching us to be strong voices for our generation and our community and though I've had my own issues with how they've dealt with things this is by far one of the saddest (yet unsurprising) moves I've ever seen. We all have our own set of beliefs and it is disgusting to see that this is still a problem after graduating. We do not have to have the exact same set of beliefs to be a Sacred Heart Girl. This is beyond unacceptable and disappointing. Kate Murray I stand with you.