rumitoid

Cut and paste excerpt from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/oddnews/christian-school-principal-says-8-year-old-girl-not-welcome-because-she-dresses-and-behaves-like-a-boy-204748527.html?vp=1

"As reported by WSET 13 News, the letter emphasized that Sunnie, who sports jeans, sneakers and a short hair cut, could be denied continued enrollment in the school. According to the TCS guidelines, enrollment at the bible-based institution could be refused to students who live in, condone, or support “sexual immorality; practicing homosexual lifestyle or alternative g****r identity; promoting such practices; or otherwise having the inability to support the moral principles of the school.” The letter cited Bible verses, which they say are the basis of TCP’s principles."

Happy J

When I saw the pix, I was sure that this was a young boy. Regardless, I looked up the school, it is a private school. Therefore, should they not be able to refuse admittance or continued attendance of any student? It would seem that her classmates are confused regarding her g****r. This begs the questions: 1. why does the parents keep her hair so short (immaterial at this age what the child wants, she is too young to be making decisions on hair style or clothing) and 2. why are they making a fuss? The child is now going to a different school where her attire is acceptable. I listened to them say she is unhappy in the new school, too bad. Or give her a choice, dress and act like a girl and go back to the private school or dress and act like a boy and go to the new school. Not everything should be a federal case and put out for the entire world to judge.... There are important things going on. This is petty!

Had enough

Such a sad story. When my youngst daughter was in kindergarten she got a hold of some scissors and chopped a heck of a lot of hair off. It was an entire year before all the different lengths grew back. She looked like a young boy too, wore sneakers , jeans , and tee shirts. Thank God no one made any fun of her. She's 19 now and there is no question of her orientation. What a very beautiful women she has grown into. This family doesn't look like they have a ton of money, and what they do have they put into a better education for her. My youngest daughter is also my adopted grand daughter too. God bless these parents for doing the right thing for this little princess in hiding.

rumitoid

Petty by whom? The school, the grandparents, the media, me?
A major social issue right now is the gay question and some wanting the freedom to discriminate, as that school did, made into law. It was about how she looked, not anything she did wrong. Short hair is immoral? Is this going to become a trend?

There are other, at least to me, elements in this story, one that you mentioned: her grandparents allowing her to be "a******l" (or is "evil" a better word) in appearance.

Anyway, welcome to OPP. Hope you enjoy your stay here.

Happy J

Whereas I agree, very young kids do cut their own hair and makes big messes. Glad I have boys. Anyway, this is not a very young child and the grandparent made it clear that she wants to wear her hair short, she wants to act like a boy, she wants to dress like a boy and they allow her to dress and act as she pleases. Now that is the sad part, those who are raising children allow the children to make all the decisions.

Glad to hear about your daughter growing into a lovely young woman.

Brian Devon

The girl is 8 years old! She plays basketball in the drive-way. My daughters wore jeans and t-shirts throughout most of their public school days. How did they turn out? One is a married teacher, the other works on environmental projects and has a boyfriend.

This girl will be fortunate to escape Bible-land and to be able to go to a public school. She'll just have to miss out on all the fairy tales and will have to learn things like the earth is 4.5 billion years old and that apes and humans share a common ancestor. She will also get a pass on having to order her life by fear of a boogy-man also known as satan.

God save us all from the shriveled-up-pinch-faced-with-a-pitchfork-flat-earth-Adam-and-Eve-Gleeclub.

Btfkr Loc: just outside the Mile High City

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Happy J

Thank you for the welcome. Gay rights? Woman rights? Male rights? Dog rights? How about that we live in a society made of many different people with many different preferences. Each person is entitled to their rights, to include private schools. If you go to a private school, their dress code will be stricter than a public school. So, as a parent, grandparent, caretaker.....wh**ever has to decide if the environment is right for your charge. Can they live within the stricter guidelines of a Conservative religion based school? Or is a different environment better suited? The adult decides what is best and makes se******ns based on the best information available, that is can the child flourish in a conservative religion based school or do they prefer their own identity and can not conform to the rigors. If you believe them unable to fit in at a conservative educational environment then move them to a "Progressive" private school. Either way, they are getting a better education than they would in the public school system. And in the case of this kid who wants their hair short, who wants to dress and act like a boy, then they probably will do better in a Progressive environment.

It seems that you do not like me making a judgment that the issue is petty. Who decided that it is petty, well I did not call a staff meeting or have specialist involved in coming to that conclusion; some people can make those kind of decisions without permission from a delegation. I am military, I am used to making command decisions. You do not appreciate it, well okay so what.

Your last comment is laughable. I have never, and suspect that I never will see a child of this age, regardless of dress or hair length as evil. However I have seen some kids on the road in the wrong direction. It is not the kid that fails, it is their caregivers. Caretakers, that include parents and grandparent, do not control their children anymore. Children are making far too many complex decisions far too early in their lives. Last thing, I did not call her "a******l."

bobgssc

What is being made of it is not petty. The liberal media is trying to force its moral compass on everyone including private, Christian based institutions. As far as the parents, I have seen this repeatedly through the years. The parents don't believe in God but want their children to attend the relatively safer Christian schools and then raise a fuss because they are expected to follow those schools' rules. Sense of entitlement is rampant in our society.

Happy J

I am sure that you kid turned out the way you wanted. However, the school in question is a private school. They have dress codes. Comparing it to a public educational environment is like comparing boiled eggs with scrambled eggs; both are eggs, but come to perfection in different environments.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

I have a favorite phrase when it comes to parents and young children.

Who is in charge?

The answer now a days, all to frequently, is the children are in charge. Parents are abdicating their responsibilities.

Happy J

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Being a parent is hard work, it takes dedication, and sometimes it makes your kid mad as hell. But, they are not in charge and should not have to make adult decisions. Thanks for the support.

bobgssc

How is that discrimination? It's a private school, has a published set of rules (I guaranty they had to sign a statement saying they read and would follow the rules of the school... this is a standard practice in Christian schools), and they expected the students to follow those rules. Was it discrimination because they enforced the rules? If so, let's let all the murderers out on the streets because they were discriminated against. Christian schools are not about social issues, most provide excellent education (which is why so many non-Christian and even anti-Christian parents want their children to attend), and most also expect a certain decorum that is appropriate for the setting. Private, non-Christian schools do this all the time (think of the school uniforms for example), and nobody bats an eye when a child is expelled for not following the rules.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

Did the parents/grandparents fail to read the regulations prior to enrolling her? When she was initially enrolled was her hair cut short and was she dressing in this manner? There is quite a bit of information missing.

AuntiE Loc: 45th Least Free State

NO private school enrolls a student without the parents being provided with the standards of attire, decorum and other matters. You seemed to ignore the statement by the school that some classmates were confused as to whether she was a girl or boy. It is not the job of teachers to have to be dealing with these issues at the elementary school level. As I posted shortly ago, there is information missing as to her appearance when she was first enrolled. Public schools have no problem suspending or removing students when it "disrupts" the educational environment. Why should private school not have the same rights?