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.

[xsmommy]

it was found out during take your daughter to work day....

[bvw]

Your reaching on that ... if you defend HER for parading in front of men while naked in a place full of the trashiest folk (not everybody, but most "dancers" are real basket cases), why then what problem could you possibly have with some church member going there with his work buddies?

Maybe his honest complaint was that she wouldn't trick for him at a price within the current reach of his pocket change.

[AppyPappy]

Hopefully, she can stop stripping before her child finds out what she does.

[William Terrell]

Would Jesus have expelled the child?

He did take some violent action against moneychangers in the Temple, so He was not all sweetness and light as we understand the term. He also said some pointed things about hurting children. There is evidence that He saw hardship in some cases as the will and lesson of God.

You defend homosexuality, which Jesus would not do, considering all the scriptual mandates against it. So, I find your using His name to argue here just a tool to try to win a point in favor of a direction our culture is taking that He definitely wouldn't approve of.

[RGSpincich]

Would Jesus have expelled the child?

No and it seems the school realizes that.

"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."

Sorry, I don't see where the school is trying to expel the daughter for any reason. It may lead to that since the situation seems to have escalated by Mom involving the media. She brought more attention to her profession and created a furor. I think Mom is shooting for her 15 minutes.

[hobbes1]

He did take some violent action against moneychangers in the Temple

Yes, and that description fits the guy running the school...

[bvw]

And just so you know, my thinking is that a good person polishes silver and washes off mud. The school is trying to polish its silver, yet the mom refuses to wash off her mud, and by going public she seeems to want everybody to get muddy with her.

If the school had publicly embarassed her, I'd say she had a complaint -- but wasn't SHE the one to go VERY public here?

A pay raise for her -- free grand publicity brings in the crowds!

[metesky]

When the rubber hits the road never call someone who spends all their time pronouncing their own religious superiority.

Cheap enough lesson if the kid remembers it.

[hobbes1]

I'm sure there are legit jobs. Maybe two or three, that she can work at about 15 hours a day to replace the lost stripper income.

Does the school then have the right to exclude ANY occupation they disagree with?

Say Criminal Defense Attorneys ?

[AppyPappy]

Strippers are not dancers. That's a joke. All you are doing is moving around so men can ogle your bidness. All stripping will lead to is a chance to meet gangsters and reprobates. Plus she will age out after a while. And the benefits are non-existent.

She would be better off teaching in a preschool or flipping burgers.

[NeoCaveman]

WHY does she want a christian education for her child????

Maybe so her child doesn't wind up in the same profession as her mother. Maybe she wants better for her child.

[hobbes1]

DING DING DING....GMTA! We're right she's wrong!

[xsmommy]

then she should QUIT her job, send her to the affordable PUBLIC school, get a LEGITIMATE job, that her child can be proud of rather than ashamed and embarrassed, and TEACH HER MORALS at home by her example, word AND deed. What she wants to do now, is PAY someone else to teach her morals with MONEY she earned IMMORALLY.

[NeoCaveman]

I did like you idea about not accepting the child back next year, because the mother did break the rules she had agreed to abide by. One month left of kindegarten, they could have waited one month.

[muleboy]

The schools offers of assistance were admirable, and freedom of association is a principle that needs restoring in our society, but the school needs to clarify the "commitment" document.

What do they do with the kids whose parents are LAWYERS?

[xsmommy]

you three are so wrong it isn't even funny. i am right.

[429CJ]

At the strip club on 'Take Your Daughter To Work Day'. Child; "Mommy, why are you taking your clothes off in front of all those men"? Mother; "To pay for your christian education honey". Child; "Oh, I want to grow up and be a nice christian striper".

[flyervet]

I imagine it would be very hard for a stripper to get a legit job. After all, if you can't even count on the body of Christ to accept her five year-old child who is completely innocent, how can you count on the secular, judgemental world to accept this woman herself?

[xsmommy]

i will concede that it could have been handled better with one month left, but i will not give up the school's right to not have to accept this kid because her mother will not abide by the rules.