the principle at our kids school said he will expel them for not been catholic, can he do that?

Question

Hi There,

Me and my wife have a religious dispute over our kids school, when we were looking for a school to send our kids to we looked at several local state schools and were not impressed at all. So we made the decision to look at a Catholic Private school, (an all girls school) we went to look at the school and were immediately impressed by their facilities, they have an excelled academic record and over 95% pass rate for kids graduating (it’s a all in one school where the kids stay from starting to finishing school)

Our problem is that we are not catholic; we are actually from as pagan based religion. We made the school aware of this and we also made them aware that our children wore pentagrams, they school said that was fine so long as they wore them under their clothes and out of sight, we agreed to those terms and enlisted our children in the school, paid for their first years tuition, bought their uniforms and school branded note books and stationary and they started school at the start of the last school year.

Everything has been fine up until now when the school has changed principles and the new principle is forcing our kids to attend mass, and is telling us unless our children stop wearing their pentagrams and attend mass and religious studies he is going to expel them from school. Our kids wear very expensive solid silver pentagrams on a gold chain, the principle took them off our kids and refused to let them wear them, he also instructed the teachers to check to see if the kids were wearing them at the start of every lesson and has wrote is very nasty letters saying that we are “disgracing the school by sending our children to school wearing symbols of the devil” in those exact words

I just want to know if we have any legal standing, we want our kids to keep attending that school because of its excellent record and pass rate, but this new principle seems to be putting his religion above our childrens education

So is there anything that we can do?

to the person who said about enrolling and not enlisting and just to clear up any missunderstanding

I believe them mean the same thing, its just the word that is used where I live enlisted rather then enrolled sorry about any confusion

Answer 1

Hello again Jay

I would definitely check your paper work for contract type agreements anything in writ ting to help back you up. Private schools definitely have their own policies. I suspect you have your kids there for good reasons. Public school is scary. This year I am homeschooling my daughter at Connections academy it's free Public homeschooling but not available in every state. It's on line home school We love it! I'll send ya a link. It is the same curriculum they use at public school. Some think that is a lower standard. But when you yourself are teaching it you can beef it up!Anyways, I agree with most postings about consulting a lawyer. Find out what your rights are for sure. If you have already paid for the year fight for those kids!
If you have anymore questions about my homeschooling situation email me!Good Luck!

Answer 2

There is nothing you can do.

It is a private school and as such allowed it's own rules; it was obviously very clear to you that it was a Catholic school and the conflict, even if unspoken and unconfirmed, must have been obvious.

Legal precedent has shown that a school has every right to prevent a person wearing religious emblems, and courts have supported schools rights to remove promise rings, pentagrams, interverted crosses, crucifixes and even wedding bands.

If you take the case to court and can prove that you were told the religious differences would not be a problem then you may be able to get compensation for the amount you paid in tuition fees, with regards to the amount of time that they will not be attending if they are expelled. However, you will have to prove it or ask nicely for a gesture of kindness - it will be your word against that of the staff, and they do have the legal right over you in this instance.

Have you asked your children why their pentagrams were removed? If they were concealing them as they were asked to, how did the principle even become aware that they were wearing them on the particular day they were removed? Try putting them on VERY long chains - this way, when tucked under a jumper or blouse the pentagram itself will hang near the navel or below the breastbone (depending on the length of the chain) and will not be visible beneath clothes. You could also try a less controversial and more discreet symbol - there are many, many signs that offer protection and a reminder of belief in the Pagan faith, and a lot of these would easily pass under the radar of any priest (or any other individual) who did not know about Paganism and it's true origins.

Answer 3

Yes, the principal can expel your children. This is a private school, and he can do pretty much what he wants. It sounds like you need to have a conference with the principal and find out what he wants you and your children to do in order to keep them in the school.

My children attended a Catholic school for 4 years. When I enrolled them (I didn't enlist them, as you said), I expressed my concern over their having to attend religion classes. The principal was very nice and explained their religion class to me. She said that since most of the students were not Catholic, the class was geared to basic Christian doctrine. That was fine with me. I had no problem with my children attending mass each week, since I felt that religion should be part of our weekly life, even though we aren't Catholic.

You do not say what religion your family practices, but it sounds like the principal of the school is concerned with the children wearing pentagrams. I would be concerned, too.

Have you considered having the children leave the pentagrams at home when they go to school? You could talk with the religion teacher and learn what is taught in the class.

Another option is to find another private school that is not religious based. It sounds like you have a problem with the religion education this school is providing. Remember, it is a Catholic school, and religion is part of the daily curriculum.

Answer 4

Since your children attend a private school, you are not afforded the protections of the Constitution for their interference in your right to practice the religion of your choosing.

However, you may have some potential legal claims for breach of contract and promissory estoppel, since the school officials told you at the outset that your religion would not be a problem, and you reasonably relied on that representation when you agreed to send your children there. You will need to prove damages, which includes any expenses you may incur for having to find another school to send your children to, as well as general pain and suffering damages, which could include emotional distress your family has endured.

You should seek the advice of a local lawyer immediately.

Answer 5

Do you have anything in writing from the original principal stating the conditions your girls were accepted under? If so, you may be able to recoup your tuition - other then that, I don't think you have much of a case.

As far as the principal "Putting his beliefs above your childrens education" - the whole point of people sending their kids to a specific religious school is that the education will be from that religion's belief system.

Answer 6

Yes, he can.

You are going to a Catholic School. The school is set up for this kind of religious indoctrination (which is their only recourse since they cannot do it in public schools).

They consider religious education as part of their school's mission, you have no right to force them to undo that.

I am an Atheist and I also attended a private Catholic school (for the same reason that you want your kids to go to yours). While the principle CANNOT force your children to actually convert (pretty tough to enforce it). He CAN mandate religious education, attending masses and enforce a dress code restricting other religious paraphenalia.

You want religious freedom, you need to send them to a public school. I know better than to try to join the Ku Klux Klan, you should know better than to try to be a Pagan in a Cathoilic School

Answer 7

No there is nothing you can do. This is a private school and he has every right to demand that his students practice the religion that it is supplying this top-notch education. That is why I get so angry when people want to bring religion into public schools. Time and place.

If I were you, I would suck it up. Teach your kids your religion at home. Don't deprive them of the superior education just to make a point you won't win.

Answer 8

Check applicable policies / rules.

* Do you received copy of the school procedures / policies / rules that were in place at the time you enrolled your kids?
* Do you receive a notice when those rules changed?
* Do you receive copy of new rules?
* Did the school reserved the right to change its rules / policies without advance notification?

How does your city? state laws? apply to private schools? Can city / state law change a private school policy regarding use of uniforms? jewlery?

Answer 9

you need to take legal advice, rather than listening to partly-informed amateurs on a message board.

i have seen similar cases. the principle probably can expel your daughters, but you almost certainly have a right of legal redress if he does. if he choose to expel them, and you choose to contest the decision, the likeliest outcome is a big check to your girls' education and the end of this principle's career. since this would be a lose-lose situation legal advice before moving into it is really advisable.

Answer 10

Well, you should stop that pagan worship. It is definitively NOT GOOD !

And with those symbols, even worse. Personally, I would have not admitted them

It is horrifying !