( CNN ) -- It 's another one of those `` you ca n't make this kind of stuff up '' stories . A New Jersey high school senior sued her parents , accusing them of tossing her out of the family home when she turned 18 and refusing to pay for her private high school and college education . In a lawsuit , Rachel Canning of Lincoln Park , New Jersey , asked a court to have her parents pay the outstanding tuition for her private high school , pay her living and transportation expenses for the foreseeable future , use money from an existing college fund to pay for at least some of her college education , and pay her legal bills . At a hearing Tuesday in New Jersey State Superior Court , a judge denied the request for high school tuition and current living expenses . Another hearing will be held in April to deal with the other issues in the suit , including college costs . WATCH : Judge 's harsh words for suing teen . It 's a case of she said versus they said . Rachel Canning says she is an honors student and cheerleader , who was cut off from her family and could lose the opportunity to attend college , where she hopes to major in biomedical engineering . Canning 's parents , Sean and Elizabeth , argue that she was not kicked out of the house . Instead , they say she left on her own back in October because she did n't want to abide by their rules . Mixed into this seemingly dysfunctional family brew are a number of other allegations against each side : that the Cannings did n't like Rachel 's boyfriend and that they were abusive to her , and that Rachel missed curfews and was suspended from school . No surprise that reaction in social media was swift and significantly tilted in one direction . `` She is an entitled spoiled brat and will regret this later in life , '' wrote G.G . Benitez , CEO and founder of a public relations firm , on my Facebook page . Tish Howard , a former elementary school principal and CEO of an educational consulting firm , agreed . `` Here is another example of what happens when children are over entitled . Let 's hand out more trophies for just showing up , '' Howard , a mother and grandmother , wrote on Facebook . Kim Kennedy , a New York-based television producer , said , '' Bratty kids have always been there . Some have better publicists . '' But there was a little bit of blame for the parents too . `` Her parents have clearly contributed to the development of her character and work ethic ( or lack thereof ) , '' wrote Pamela Sellers , a freelance producer and writer and mom of two girls in Atlanta . `` They should settle this by ensuring that she complete her high school degree . As for college : until she learns to appreciate what she 's had , she will never be respectful . They should cut her off completely . Her learning to make it on her own will be the best thing in the end . '' Howard , the former school principal , said she feels `` deep compassion '' for the parents . `` I am saddened that someone in their life was not brave enough to have a critical conversation with them years ago about disabling children with an easy easy path , '' she said . `` Self esteem and accountability are by products of overcoming disequilibrium and succeeding not by having adults eliminate the hurdles and failures for you . '' Dorothy Liu , an entrepreneur and mom in Bellevue , Washington , said if the parents ' side of the story is true , it sounds as though they were `` at the end of their rope . '' `` As parents , most of us try to do the best we can and hope we can instill enough good common sense and humility in our kids so they may make good decisions , '' said Liu , who has a 10-year-old daughter . `` It saddens me to see the level of entitlement in this generation , but it 's more evidence that by giving our kids every opportunity to realize their potential , we 're also giving them the power to see it as their due rather than the gift and privilege it is . '' On the other side are people like Sheryl Resnick of Tucson , Arizona , who believes the appropriateness of suing parents really depends on the individual child 's circumstances . `` I know of a situation where a 12-year-old was taken out of private school and had to go to public school in a different city , '' said Resnick , also on Facebook . `` His parents drank up his school money . But in those days a kid did n't sue his parents . He pitied them . But it did irrevocably change his life . '' Perhaps the view that sums up this entire case was a tweet with the hashtag # Nowinners by a father of two boys . He called it a `` terrible situation . '' Indeed it is , because whatever happens , you have a relationship between a child and her parents that is anything but healthy at the moment . Raising a teenager is n't easy . At the same time , being a teenager is no walk in the park either . If only both sides could find a way to meet in the therapist 's office -- together -- that would be a step in the right direction , said Jennifer Hartstein , a New York City-based child , adolescent and family psychologist . `` Clearly , there is a breakdown in communication in this family , bordering on limited communication , '' said Hartstein . `` The real question I have is how did it get so bad and go this far ? What kind of steps could have been taken prior to this happening ? ''
A New Jersey teen sues her parents to pay her college costs . She says her parents kicked her out ; they say she left on her own . Reaction online was swift , with many pointing to a sense of entitlement by the teen . One tweet summed it up this way : # Nowinners .