Post by Rhonda on Aug 18, 2007 20:27:11 GMT -5
July 9, 2007 - Melbourne, Australia - Ananova
A Catholic school refused to enroll a five-year-old because
his surname was H e l l.
St Peter Apostle School in Melbourne suggested that Max
H e l l would only be admitted if he used his mother's maiden
name.
His father initially agreed. But when it came to signing the
enrolment forms Alex H e l l decided to stand firm in defense
of his family's name, reports The Times.
"We're quite devastated by the whole thing," Mr. H e l l, a
Catholic father of three said. "So what if I've got a name like
Hell? That's my family history and my name."
Mr. H e l l, 45, who is of Austrian heritage, said his surname
meant light or bright in German. "It's 2007, not 1407 - it's not
the Dark Ages."
The H e l l s approached St Peter Apostle School hoping to
transfer their son from a state school, apparently because
he was being bullied over his surname.
St Peter Apostle agreed it would to receive the boy on condition
that he adopt his mother's maiden name of Wembridge.
After Mr. H e l l publicly complained about the school's refusal to
enroll his son, the school later had a change of heart.
But Mr. H e l l, who said he was also bullied because of his
surname when he attended a Catholic school as a child, said
he was now reluctant to consider a Catholic education for his
children.
www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2407697.html?menu=
A Catholic school refused to enroll a five-year-old because
his surname was H e l l.
St Peter Apostle School in Melbourne suggested that Max
H e l l would only be admitted if he used his mother's maiden
name.
His father initially agreed. But when it came to signing the
enrolment forms Alex H e l l decided to stand firm in defense
of his family's name, reports The Times.
"We're quite devastated by the whole thing," Mr. H e l l, a
Catholic father of three said. "So what if I've got a name like
Hell? That's my family history and my name."
Mr. H e l l, 45, who is of Austrian heritage, said his surname
meant light or bright in German. "It's 2007, not 1407 - it's not
the Dark Ages."
The H e l l s approached St Peter Apostle School hoping to
transfer their son from a state school, apparently because
he was being bullied over his surname.
St Peter Apostle agreed it would to receive the boy on condition
that he adopt his mother's maiden name of Wembridge.
After Mr. H e l l publicly complained about the school's refusal to
enroll his son, the school later had a change of heart.
But Mr. H e l l, who said he was also bullied because of his
surname when he attended a Catholic school as a child, said
he was now reluctant to consider a Catholic education for his
children.
www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2407697.html?menu=