07-12-2007, 05:36 PM
School Bans Boy for a Hell of a Reason
Alex Hell is mad as, well, you know what. His 5-year-old son, Max, was refused admission into a Catholic primary school in Melbourne, Australia because his surname conflicted with its religious teachings, report Agence France Presse, Australian Associated Press, The Age and the BBC News. "We are victims of our name," Hell told AAP. The name, which is of Austrian origin, means "bright." He added, "We are quite devastated by the whole thing. It's 2007, not 1407--the Dark Ages."
At one point during the tempestuous admissions process, Hell offered to change his son's surname to his wife's maiden name of Wembridge, a suggestion that was welcomed by the Michael McGrath, the principal of St. Peter the Apostle primary school. But Hell reneged on that offer and was then told Max would not be able to attend the school. Later, the school relented and said Max Hell could become a student, but by then Alex Hell was fed up and said he would never enroll his son at the school, insisting the change of heart was due solely to media attention.
"The school has turned around and said Max can go there, but why would you want to go there after being victimized?" he told AFP. Alex Hell wanted his son to change schools because he is being bullied at his current school. He told The Age newspaper, "It's Hell. That's our name, it's our heritage." "It's who he is, and if he wants to change his name at 18 then that's up to him." The surname "Hell" is relatively common in Austria.
Alex Hell is mad as, well, you know what. His 5-year-old son, Max, was refused admission into a Catholic primary school in Melbourne, Australia because his surname conflicted with its religious teachings, report Agence France Presse, Australian Associated Press, The Age and the BBC News. "We are victims of our name," Hell told AAP. The name, which is of Austrian origin, means "bright." He added, "We are quite devastated by the whole thing. It's 2007, not 1407--the Dark Ages."
At one point during the tempestuous admissions process, Hell offered to change his son's surname to his wife's maiden name of Wembridge, a suggestion that was welcomed by the Michael McGrath, the principal of St. Peter the Apostle primary school. But Hell reneged on that offer and was then told Max would not be able to attend the school. Later, the school relented and said Max Hell could become a student, but by then Alex Hell was fed up and said he would never enroll his son at the school, insisting the change of heart was due solely to media attention.
"The school has turned around and said Max can go there, but why would you want to go there after being victimized?" he told AFP. Alex Hell wanted his son to change schools because he is being bullied at his current school. He told The Age newspaper, "It's Hell. That's our name, it's our heritage." "It's who he is, and if he wants to change his name at 18 then that's up to him." The surname "Hell" is relatively common in Austria.
