Posted on 05/16/2002 2:29:30 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
A private Christian school and a kindergartener's mother who stripteases for a living are quickly becoming the focus of the latest debate on religious freedom.
Officials of Capital Christian School in Sacramento, Calif., discovered that what they thought had been a private meeting with a mother of a kindergartner who violated her commitment to school policy had become a news story on the local CBS affiliate KOVR.
The story first came to the attention of WorldNetDaily when WND columnist Rebecca Hagelin was invited Wednesday morning to discuss the issue on CNN's popular afternoon talk show "Talk Back Live." The only information circulating at the time was a brief description of a broadcast report filed by KOVR-TV which broke the story late Tuesday evening.
The summary blurb summed up the story this way: "A mother says her daughter is getting expelled from kindergarten because mom is a part-time stripper. This is about a five-year-old girl who attends Capital Christian School in Sacramento. But her mother says when the school found out she was an exotic dancer they told her she had one week to get her daughter out of their school."
Since the school's position was entirely absent from the report, Hagelin contacted the pastor of Capital Christian Church, the sponsoring church of the school. Senior Pastor Rick Cole was clearly disturbed by the events and reluctant to discuss details. Cole did, however, agree to provide certain facts about the case that had not been disclosed by the mother when she contacted the local television station about the situation.
Although Cole did not reveal the identity of the mother or child, WND subsequently learned their identities from KOVR-TV reporter George Franco, but has opted not to disclose the names to protect the child's privacy.
Hagelin reported the other side of the story during her appearance on CNN yesterday.
"By air time Wednesday afternoon, I had secured two interviews with pastor Cole from my car phone," she said. "His greatest concern and reluctance to speak came from his desire to protect the mother and her daughter." Given that only part of the story had become national news, she added, Cole thought it important provide the rest of the story.
Cole explained that recently school officials had become aware that the mother in question works as a part-time strip-teaser dancer at a local club. Since her occupation is in violation of an agreement with and commitment to the school philosophy that parents must sign before the children are admitted to school, school officials, including Cole met the mother.
Not wanting to divulge the personal and confidential details of the conversation with the mother, Cole only briefly outlined the details of the offer officials had made the mother -- which had been left out of previous news stories.
"The school offered to waive the last month's tuition for the student so the young girl could remain in school to the end of the year if the mother would quit her job as a strip-tease dancer. They also offered to support the mother and walk 'hand in hand' with her as she worked through the spiritual issues involved and sought to better her life," said Hagelin. "The pastor believed that the meeting had been well-received by the mother, but the next thing he knew he was getting calls from the local media. I found Pastor Cole to be clearly upset that his efforts to help a woman in a very bad situation were not successful."
As a requirement for admission, parents of prospective students must sign a "commitment" to support the philosophy of the school. That philosophy, in part, reads: "Emphasis is placed on learning about God and the truths of God's Word in relationship to man and his world; recognizing that the way to God comes through personal faith in Jesus Christ; and Christian maturity comes by application of the truths of the Bible in all areas of life." In signing the document, parents agree to maintain a "partnership" with the school "regarding the standards and criteria of a Christian learning structure that involves the entire family."
"Although school officials see the mother's job as a stripper as a clear violation of her signed commitment, automatic termination of the relationship was not an option for them," said Hagelin. "The pastor and school attempted to help the mother better her life, and offered her both financial, spiritual and emotional support."
In Hagelin's interview with the pastor, he described how the role of the school differed somewhat from that of the church. While the church has open arms to all who wish to attend, he discussed how essential parental commitment is to the success of a school of 1,200 students that seeks to provide both high academic and spiritual standards for each and every student, noted Hagelin.
Reporter George Franco of KOVR told Hagelin that the mother has retained legal counsel and is considering filing a motion for an immediate injunction to have the child remain in school while the mother continues to work as a stripper.
Oink for me buddy! Xs has already branded me a pig this morning for my comments on breastfeeding and other breast-related issues.
Sorry, but that guy chews. My F-I-L is a fan, so when my wife and I went to Key West we had to go to that godforsaken "Margaritaville" store, and what was playing over the 1MC? "Math Sucks." Great songwriting talent there, Jimbo!When my wife and I were first dating, I went with her and a bunch of her friends to a Buffett concert. The worst part of the experience was going to our seats and listening to the music.
Didn't I mention to you in an email yesterday that many college girls make $1200 per week as exotic dancers? Should they be prohibited from attending college? Of course realizing that Brigham Young U does have a strict policy on conduct.
yes, you DO have it correct. Were she to quit stripping she would be perfectly acceptable. Love the sinner, hate the sin. I am sure she is a lovely woman, she just needs to quit that job.
Are you trying to solicit piggish, yet excessively manly, responses from us?
I tend to agree with you. However, a private school has the right to set policy and the mom knew what those policies were--or should have known. It's up to her to conform to them. It sounds like she has an idea that her child needed extra stability. Hopefully, she'll reconsider her lifestyle.
I have a teen-ager in Christian school and she has become a best friend to another girl who has a mother who could very well be this one. Although this girl is staying with an aunt and uncle who realized she had a problem and put her into Christian school, as a parent I do not particularly like the fact that I have to deal with the issues from this friendship that arise. I'm paying a LOT of tuition to keep her out of public school! However, there's not anything I can do. I can understand the school's concern here as well.
Of Course not. They should have to Attend Bloomfield College. Right down the street from me... ; )
I don't see that in the school's remarks. They offered free tuition if she'd quit strippin'. No threat of expulsion, that came from the mom's side when she went to the media. The school may have implied that but it is not clear in the article. Not trying to be sticky, just don't want to pin something on the school that they don't deserve.
my point about the cleaning lady job was just to take the most disagreeable job imaginable (and i HAVE a cleaning lady, because i find cleaning so disagreeable!)and say i would do whatever it took, in a LEGITIMATE realm, in order to educate my child. and perhaps it is unrealistic to think private education is possible (though, my kids catholic school does offer assistance to those who cannot afford the tuition) but public education supplemented by PARENTAL instruction in morals and values, would do just fine also. not everyone is as blessed as i am, to be able to send my kids to a private, religious school (and that is why i am a HUGE FAN of vouchers), but dang it, public school accompanied by strong moral instruction provided by a parent, is preferable to stripping to pay the christian school bill.
Buffet is what's playing over the loudspeakers right now in Purgatory. Britney Spears, N'Sync, et al are in the rotation in Hell, but Buffet is Purgatory.I'll say this, though: Buffet is a marketing genius. He's marketed the same 3 chords and repackaged that tired Southern Mullet theme to Parrotheads for years now so successfully that's he's got his own g-dam PBY.
Buffet's a TV jingle. 1-800-54-GIANT has more musical integrity than Buffet's entire catalog.
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