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.
I feel very sorry for the little girl, because that woman's got lots more problems than her cashflow. For starters, why in the world would she take this to the press? Is she perhaps looking to get letters of sympathy from the public, with a few dollars tucked inside?
But this is another matter altogether. I think what CC did this time was more in the best interest of the child. They sought to protect the privacy of the young girl and they sought to improve her home life by counselling the mother. If I were head of a church I would also be concerned about the questionable homelife of a student. This stripper mother was selfish and showed no reguard for her daughter by bringing this case to the media. She knew that her profession was in conflict with CC's standards and ethics. If she doesn't like those standards she can put her kid in the Waldorf school. There are many more options that would have been better for her child than going to the media and making her 5 y.o. the center of a scandal! This child must be suffering enough humiliation knowing that her mother takes off her clothes and sexually teases men for a living. It has to be added stress and humiliation to know that EVERYONE knows it.
Frankly, No, I find the Female Body absolutely Beautiful (well, in most cases, at any rate) and No, the sight of a Naked Woman doesn't disturb me.
Does it disturb you?
As for the difference you discuss, most Painter's/Photographer's Models aren't married to the Artists they pose for. So that would by default make them strange men they are posing for.
So, I guess the difference you're beating around the bush about is Male Arousal. If it's Nakedness that doesn't get your Knickers in a Knot, then it's Art, and OK, and you have no problem with the young Lady getting paid for services rendered. However, if somehow she causes the viewer to become Aroused, then she is the cause of the downfall of Society, and must be Labeled as such.
Can you say TALIBAN, I know you can...
So daycare from 6pm to 6am is better?
Who is with this 5-year old little girl at night while mommy is out helping perverts get their jollies? Who is tucking the little girl in at night? Who is saying her prayers with her at night (she was trying to raise her daughter in a Christian environment)?
-Kevin
No, my Excitable Friend, I'm asking a Question...
Now, Isn't that Special...
I find it hard to grasp why you feel you can dictate the policies and procedures of private enterprises. I once worked for a privately-held company that required signing and abiding by a Judeo-Christian ethics agreement, as well as drug-testing. Employment was "at will" and could be terminated for, among other things, adultery or drug use. It wasn't restricted to on premise conduct. Evidently this school employs a similar policy for parents and students.
So what we have then is a reflexive, thoughtless adherence to a policy, and a pastor that makes no allowance for a litttle common sense..(like letting the CHILD finish the three weeks..)
Move along...
You’re right, but it will, by default, make her a disobedient Christian.
Let's face it, in Today's economy, even if you have a good job skill set, it can be difficult to support a Family.
I am supporting a family of five on a single income. If times got tough I wouldn’t ask my wife to go strut her stuff in front of a bunch of drooling men in order to make ends meet. I would do what it took to support my family without having to resort to that type of behavior.
Try being a Single Mother,[anatomically impossible ;^)] with a limited job skill set, but a great Body. Would she really be better off doing a 40 hour week slinging Burgers, for minimum wage, OR doing a 20 hour week making a considerable amount more money for simply Dancing Naked?
Yes she would be spiritually better off not letting letches exploit her.
Quite Frankly, with the amount of Strip Clubs in this Country, and the vast number of women who perform in them, my guess is you've probably run across more than one who put herself through College doing it. And considering your viewpoints, can you say it's surprising that they wouldn't have mentioned it to you?
Could it be that they haven’t mentioned it because they are ashamed to have stooped to doing such a thing?
And what's the crime in doing it? So far, the only thing I can see that this Lady did wrong was letting these Fundi Web Surfers push her around. They aren't accusing her of Hosing down the customers, just taking off her clothes. So What?
You’re right, there was technically no crime committed. However, not everything that is legal is necessarily right.
Have you ever been in a Strip Club? Ever put a dollar up on the Bar? (Don't Lie now, that's a Sin too, remember)
Oh, I won’t lie to you. I haven’t been a Christian my entire life. I have been to those places in the past. That doesn’t invalidate any of my arguments though.
-Kevin
You Know One, I think I'm gonna just start Amening your Posts by number, it'll save me time.
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