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.
Its a rotten someone what steals bread every night, when the town has a free bread giveaway every morning!
AMEN! You hit the nail right on the head!
Geez, what is so "unchristian" about the naked female body? It's not like she's hosing the clientel.
Bravo to her for not going quietly into the night while these anal retentive old hypocrites try to destroy whatever hope she and her little girl have.
She's Working, and not on Welfare, trying to do what's right by her kid. Leave the Lady alone, and tell the "pastor" to either put up or shut up. It's not like the little girl is stripping, is it?
Did the child of the Father who saw this Lady in the Strip Club get thrown out too?
They need to part company and the kid needs to get educated. Forget the fanatics and the slut.
from the Bee story:
"Silvas, who is single, said school administrators telephoned her last week and told her that in response to persistent rumors, a parent went to the strip club's Web site, downloaded pictures of Silvas and brought them to school staff. Silvas told them she does dance at the all-nude bar, which doesn't serve alcohol, and subsequently met with Cole."
Of course they are. They have a right to demand a certain grade on admissions tests, IQ tests, dress code, and a GPA minimum, etc.
Expelling a student for what the parent does for a living is extreme. The exception here is if the school informed the parent of what was expected of her on the admissions or other document.
Acutally if offspring of any occupation should be excluded it should be layers, not strippers. At least with strippers 'WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET'.
Capital Christian School made headlines in 1995, when it prohibited 13-year-old Ben Sharpe from giving the valedictory speech at its eighth-grade graduation. His alleged infraction: a short haircut that violated the school dress code, which does not allow shaved heads.
The school subsequently issued an apology. Sharpe sued alleging civil-rights violations, and the suit was settled out of court. He went on to be a star athlete and scholar at Jesuit High School and is in his third year at Stanford University, where he is studying civil engineering.
Hey, maybe she could make a couple of porno flicks while she is at it. I hear that some of those girls make up to $5,000 a day. After all, it's better then going on welfare, and it's for the child.
-Kevin
Oh, come on. She looks like Bugs Bunny! Last time I saw a mouth like that, it had a hook in it.
A stripper mother provides value for her remuneration - and performs the duties of an mom.
Too many welfare mothers (particularly multiple welfare mothers) seem to think the everyday raising of their children is providing value for their remuneration - and it ain't. A woman having multiple children on welfare should be spayed, and her partner(s) neutered.
Anybody can get in trouble and need help for a time - but the people who make it a way of life are way below strippers, morally. 'Course then there's lotsa folks in the category: politicians, bureaucrats, telemarketers, burglars, etc.
I saw this on the news the other day, and they are allowing the little girl to finish out the school year.
Mark
There is a HUGE difference between Stripping and doing Porno. All she's doing is Dancing Naked, and from the looks of her, probably does quite well. She isn't screwing the clients of the club, so what's the problem?
The very fact that she went out of her way to make sure her child was in a Private School says alot about her, and the fact that she's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure her daughter has a good life is all I need to know.
Bravo to her!
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