Kindergartener's stripper-mom in church-school flap

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Thursday, May 16, 2002

[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.

[kjam22]

So, then Opine for me, if you will, on his actions concerning the young man stripped of the Valedictorian Privlege, because his haircut was too short...(same Headmaster...)

I don't know enough (actually any) of the details about this issue with the Valedictorian. Is there a link to the story?

[Lord_Baltar]

No, you're right. Kids much prefer it when they are poor. Mac and cheese (made with water and no butter) is much better than having a Mother willing to do what she has to so she can provide...

Silly me.

[Lord_Baltar]

Agreed! Thankfully for her, Strippers have a relatively short "shelf life". Hopefully she can use this as a springboard for something better, for both her and her daughter.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Back off, Deacon. I'm not interested in your theology, 'kay? Nor am I interested in any education on the subject.

[flyervet]

You think that children love the money when their parents are strippers, x-rated movie actors, pimps and prostitutes?

No, I think the children appreciate having clothes on their backs, food on their plates, a livable home in a nice neighborhood and a good education. In fact, I think all children appreciate these things and are helped by them.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

The frumpy housefraus theory was from dubya.

And the Bee story provided circumstantial evidence for it.

[Lord_Baltar]

AMEN!

[Lord_Baltar]

It's funny, the High Minded Platitudes must taste wonderful to those spewing them, but I wonder how a hungry kid feels about having them served up for dinner.

[cake_crumb]

"Still, I think the school should have allowed the girl to finish the school year, considering she herself has done nothing wrong."

BUMP

[A.J.Armitage]

To borrow a phrase so beloved of fundamentalists, WWJD?

I'm fairly certain He would read the whole article before jumping to conclusions.

[Lord_Baltar]

Yeah, but Pastor Busy Body and company will still shun her because she "used" to be a stripper, and now she's "dirty"

[flyervet]

I don't get it, either. My wife's grandmother was in a nursing home with a woman who had worked at a cat house. She had lost her husband suddenly in an accident, and due to him being a different religion than her, the woman's family refused to help her. Anyway, she wasn't a prostitute but a "handy woman" who cleaned, cooked, and occasionally tended bar. Her son was essentially raised in the midst of all this. We met him one afternoon. He had grown up to be a doctor. He said the "working girls" and the madam were always very kind to him and always found a way to give them extra money and to slip him treats. He grew up to be a portly fellow, but other than that he seemed pretty normal. He and his family visited his mother faithfully and his one regret seemed to be that he wasn't able to care for her at home anymore (she was in the very end stages of Alzheimers).

I'd wager that at least some of the folks on this thread would rather they have simply done without than working and living in that environment.

[garv]

Then end justifies the means. I think I'll start selling crack, my kids have their eye on a pony.

[Lord_Baltar]

I read the whole article, and I think Pastor 007 should be spending his time minding after the Students in his care, rather than using Spies to fuss over the Parents.

[Capt.YankeeMike]

read the entire article. the church/school did NOT kick her out, they offered one month free tuition, offered counseling, the actually were working on a way to KEEP THE GIRL IN THE SCHOOL words of wisdom for you: Its not hard to find someone that CAN read, its very hard to find someone that WILL read.

[SCalGal]

What I honestly can't understand is why they wouldn't allow the little girl to stay in school in order to provide a christian example for her. It's possible, you know, that if someone had spent a little extra time or effort on the mother when she was young, she wouldn't be stripping.

If she's trying to get out of the sex industy, then she needs support and help. If she's not trying to get out, then the daughter needs to be shown that there are other ways to live, so that she doesn't follow the same path.

[The Grim Freeper]

Your daughter(s) and granddaughter(s) may very well go down the same path you advocate. You speak to your own hurt.

[Lord_Baltar]

The point is the Mother was paying for the Tuition, the kid wasn't stripping, and I doubt highly that Pastor Busy Body was prepared to offer her a job at a payrate that included the continued cost of Tuition for the little girl.