Hell Not Allowed in Catholic School

[kerrisan]

A child with the last name of Hell was not allowed to enroll in a Catholic school because of it.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070709/D8Q961I83.html

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.

This really disgusts me. Like the poor kid has any control over his name! And if the school only "offered" him a place after the media got involved . . . I wouldn't want to go to that school anymore either. In fact, I hope that stupid school suffers greatly for this, either in number or just in public view.

But I guess if this school has nothing bigger to worry about than a potential enrollee's last name, they've got it pretty good.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I saw the headline "Catholic School Opens Gates to Hell Boy" and I had an entirely different idea in mind for this story.

"I'm a lousy shot, but I use really big bullets."

[kerrisan]

I saw the headline "Catholic School Opens Gates to Hell Boy" . . .

That part bothers me too. The school didn't "open their gates," they panicked when they found out the media was getting involved and decided/pretended to play nice to save face.

[Crow The Robot]

I wonder if it would have made a differnce if he changed his name to heck? But, i hate this, the poor child has no control over his last name, so why the f--- is he being punished for it.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I find it unbelieveably laughable. Because the kid's name is Hell, that makes him bad or something? I mean, my last name is Foote, and that has nothing to do with anything, and I'm the most evil person I know. Aside from maybe Gravekeeper...hmm...anyway, the point is, the name has nothing to do with the person! Duh!

[XCashier]

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.

Poor kid. Been there, totally sympathize.

And I agree, it's stupid that they keep him out because of his name. But what is to keep the kids there from bullying this kid like at his previous school?

[FuzzyKitten99]

Poor kid. Been there, totally sympathize.

And I agree, it's stupid that they keep him out because of his name. But what is to keep the kids there from bullying this kid like at his previous school?

private schools have more authority to actually do something about the bullying than public schools. Plus the kids tend to be better behaved, so he might not even have any problems.

[morgana]

Plus the kids tend to be better behaved, so he might not even have any problems.

Maybe in *secular* private schools . . . The fact that I went to Catholic school has a direct bearing on the fact that I'm no longer Catholic.

I sincerely hope this kid's experiences are better than mine were.

M~

[air914]

not that they should have to, but with all the problems they seem to have, why not get a name change?? Or add a couple of letters or change a letter or something so it would be Hall instead of Hell? I mean, people who came to America did that all the time, didn't they? B/c their last names (or first) were from their country of origin and were hard to pronounce or something - or they "sounded" foreign, so they shortened them.... or changed some letters.... I don't know... when i was in school I was made fun of for my "middle" name b/c it was legally my first name - so first day of school, it got called out, I had to correct the teacher, and then I was made fun of - so I went and got my first and middle name legally switched and didn't run into the problem again.....

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

***NOT REALLY RELEVANT BUT FUNNY SIMPSONS QUOTE ALERT***

Marge: So, what did you children learn about today?
Bart: Hell.
Homer: Bart!
Bart: But that's what we learned about. I sure as HELL can't tell you we learned about HELL unless I say HELL, can't I?
Homer: Well, the lad has a point.
Bart: Hell, yes!
Marge: Bart!
Bart: [singing] Hell, Hell, Hell, Hell, ...
Marge: Bart, you're no longer in Sunday School. Don't swear.

***END OF NOT REALLY RELEVANT BUT FUNNY SIMPSONS QUOTE ALERT***

[Ree]

This seems like a topic better left to fratching, in my opinion.

It has stayed civil, but I'm going to close it because experience has taught me that it's usually just a short step to Catholic/Christian bashing with threads like these.