Catholic School Opens Gates To Hell Boy

[Kor37 9]

Catholic School Opens Gates to Hell Boy

AP

Posted: 2007-07-09 03:58:50

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Hell family says it may tell a Catholic school in Australia where to go after it objected to enrolling their son because of his name.

 

Officials said the boy had been offered a place at the St. Peter the Apostle school in the southern city of Melbourne after discussions between the principal, the parish priest and the family over his name.

 

But Alex Hell said he would rather send 5-year-old Max elsewhere because the school balked at taking the boy over his family name.

 

"We are the victims of our name," Hell said Monday.

 

Hell said he and his wife approached St. Peter the Apostle school about enrolling Max because the boy was being bullied at his current school because of his name, the Herald Sun newspaper reported on its Web site.

 

The Catholic school supported a plan to enroll Max using his mother's maiden name, Wembridge, but then withdrew its invitation when the parents changed their minds about the name, Hell said. The school backed down and offered Max a place only when Hell took the issue to the media, he said.

 

"The school has turned around and said Max can go there, but why would you want to go there after being victimized?" Hell said.

 

The family was considering moving to his wife's hometown to find a different school, he said.

 

Director of Catholic Education in Victoria state, Stephen Elder, said using the boy's mother's name was the parents' idea to "assist the child in the transition of schools."

 

"After discussions between the parish priest and principal, St. Peter the Apostle School has made an offer of enrollment to the student," Elder said in a statement. "The school is working with the family in the best interests of the child."

 

Hell said he had Austrian heritage and that the name means "bright."

 

 

 

After all of this turmoil, it seems to be easier just to legally change the name!

[Odie 0]

It's their family name. Why should they change it to make others feel better?

[Kor37 9]

Probably a better idea would be to teach their son how to deal with bullies rather than running away. Even if he goes to the Catholic school, he's going to get bullied anyway.

[thestupidvulcan 0]

He is going to get bullied no matter where he goes. His parents should enroll him in martial arts classics and turn him into a bad *buttocks*.

[jadziaezri 0]

why is it always the aussies!!!!

[Theunicornhunter 2]

People have changed their name for a lot less as regards changing family name. I'd probably change my name in this situation- and I'd think about it if my name was Butts, Buzzard, Hogg and a few others I've heard over the years.

[Lady Britannia 0]

He's only five years old. They still have time to spare him a life of religious indoctrination. The school are so narrow-minded, they rejected him for something as trivial as his name. This should indicate to the parents that maybe religious schooling isn't the way to go.

[Data 0]

That is pretty funny. How the hell did a family get such a name? Hell

[Odie 0]

He's only five years old. They still have time to spare him a life of religious indoctrination. The school are so narrow-minded, they rejected him for something as trivial as his name. This should indicate to the parents that maybe religious schooling isn't the way to go.

This is not a debate about religion. It is about boy and why he got teased. You do not believe in religion does not mean everyone has to follow your own anti-belief system.

 

The school only followed the parents decision to use the maden name, because they know he will get teased, which is not trivial to the family. When the family changed their mind on them, and not give them options they had the right to drop the child from enrollment. If the name was so trivial why did they pull him from public school in the first place?

[Lady Britannia 0]

This is not a debate about religion. It is about boy and why he got teased. You do not believe in religion does not mean everyone has to follow your own anti-belief system.

 

The school only followed the parents decision to use the maden name, because they know he will get teased, which is not trivial to the family. When the family changed their mind on them, and not give them options they had the right to drop the child from enrollment.

 

I said nothing about anyone having to follow my belief system. Just because I say something doesn't mean it should be taken as a command that MUST be followed. Actually it IS about religion. The whole reason the child was rejected by the school was because of religious intolerance and hysteria.

 

If the name was so trivial why did they pull him from public school in the first place?

 

Any number of reasons could explain it. Perhaps state schools in Australia are inferior to private schools.

[jadziaezri 0]

Perhaps, Lady Britannia, you should refrain from commenting on a country that you know nothing about.

 

I have been to both public and private schools and they both maintain the same standard of excellence. The federal and state governments have a set curriculum that both sets of schools must adhere to.

[Lady Britannia 0]

Perhaps, Lady Britannia, you should refrain from commenting on a country that you know nothing about.

 

I have been to both public and private schools and they both maintain the same standard of excellence. The federal and state governments have a set curriculum that both sets of schools must adhere to.

 

Hence my use of the word "perhaps" when I said "perhaps the state schools in Australia are inferior to private schools" which followed the sentence "any number of reasons could explain it"

 

Together, those eight words I posted suggest a possible scenario which could explain the situation.

 

And it's entirely possible also that you were very lucky and attended a state school which was very good, but as school standards often vary, it's also possible that the child in question wasn't necessarily as fortunate.

Edited July 11, 2007 by Lady Britannia