Talk about growing pains. A teenager who left home is suing her parents for refusing to hand over her college fund.
According to an article in Elite Daily, high school senior Rachel Canning has taken legal action against her parents because they withheld financial support once she turned 18.
Of course there are two sides to every lawsuit. Side One maintains that the “incredibly rebellious" Rachel wouldn't follow house rules, dated a 'bad boy,' and was suspended twice from her New Jersey Catholic school. Side Two believes her parents have no right to cut off her financial lifeline, end of story.
One claims she left willingly, while Two says she was kicked out.
The plaintiff, an honour roll student who has been living with her friend's family, is claiming outstanding legal fees of $12,597, as well as $5,306 in private school fees. She also wants back the college fund which she says her parents 'redirected.'
“We love our child and miss her," said Rachel's father, Sean Canning, in an article in Buzzfeed. "This is terrible. It’s killing me and my wife. We have a child we want home. We’re not Draconian and now we’re getting hauled into court. She’s demanding that we pay her bills but she doesn’t want to live at home and she’s saying, ‘I don’t want to live under your rules.’”
To complicate matters further, child protection services were called following the teen's allegation of parental abuse. The investigation was apparently dropped, after the visiting officer deemed Canning to be merely "spoiled."
The teen years are no laughing matter (right, Jeni?)
What do you say: are parents obligated to finance their child's education? If so, to what end?
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