A Florida couple who donated $1.3 million to Academy of the Holy Names Catholic School in Tampa, Florida have decided to rescind their donation. They've also sued for damages and returned tuition after a claim the school was becoming too "woke."
Anthony and Barbara Scarpo, who donated the money in 2017 and subsequently had the school's theater named after them, are now demanding their money back after the Catholic school reportedly taught its students how to be good LGBTQ+ allies.
Academy of the Holy Names is too \u2018woke,\u2019 not Catholic enough, lawsuit sayshttps://trib.al/90rUKsH— Champa Bay Times (@Champa Bay Times) 1625621212
They're free to drop their kids out. They're not free to sue over dogma application, sorry. Wealthy people think they can force even private schools to teach a curriculum that parents can teach or indoctrinate at home.— Kathy lambert (@Kathy lambert) 1625670781
Karen wants to speak to the manager.— Richie Newport (@Richie Newport) 1625690851
The parents complain that the school is trying to indoctrinate students. Mind you, the sole purpose of a Catholic school is to indoctrinate youth, which is why they sent their 2 daughters there. The parents don't mind indoctrination...— Tom Calen (@Tom Calen) 1625755716
They just don't like certain messages the school was teaching: equality, acceptance, empathy. They much prefer bigotry, hate, and apathy. \n\nNote: I had 12 years of Catholic school indoctrination.— Tom Calen (@Tom Calen) 1625755737
The lawsuit, filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court, claims the school "acted fraudulently" by masquerading as a Catholic school and asking for money from parents while secretly straying from their Catholic agenda.
The lawsuit directly references "zeal to embrace the politically correct 'woke' culture currently in vogue … where gender identity, human sexuality, pregnancy termination among other 'hot button' issues took center stage."
Donating big money to the school your kids attend and getting your name on a building is more ego than philanthropy.— Victoria Van Every is querying (@Victoria Van Every is querying) 1625676387
It\u2019s the \u201cconfirmation that the parents at my old hs DONATED MONEY in hopes the faculty would continue commit hate crimes\u201d for me https://twitter.com/tb_times/status/1412789026805932039\u00a0\u2026— c l o u d i (@c l o u d i) 1625709895
Jesus was "woke". He accepted everyone, he fed the poor, he gave refuge.https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412789026805932039\u00a0\u2026— Catherine Angela Imbriano Hughes (@Catherine Angela Imbriano Hughes) 1625683554
I\u2019m sorry but I have to laugh. Catholic values at this school ran so deep, I stopped being Catholic because of how suffocating it was.https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412789026805932039\u00a0\u2026— Almend Joy\u2122 (@Almend Joy\u2122) 1625682996
This is such a chaotic read lmaohttps://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412583865827397634\u00a0\u2026— Carlos \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfb\ud83c\udde6 (@Carlos \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfb\ud83c\udde6) 1625626484
The couple also accused the school of "indoctrinat[ing] its students, requiring that they 'check their white privilege' and feel sufficiently guilty merely because of the color of their skin and because their parents could afford their attendance at the academy."
The school issued a letter in response to the lawsuit:
"Rejecting the racism and hatred reflected in the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor … it is imperative we have conversations that are uncomfortable, learn from them, reconcile and grow."
\u201cWith one daughter graduated and the other transferred to a different high school\u2026\u201d lmfaoooo no you\u2019re not getting your money back. But this is probably the start of some other rich white guy\u2019s political career.https://twitter.com/tb_times/status/1412789026805932039\u00a0\u2026— Carl Zee (USF Season Ticket Holder) (@Carl Zee (USF Season Ticket Holder)) 1625672313
They are literally angry that the school is teaching racial justice. You cannot reform racists. I just do not see how.https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412789026805932039\u00a0\u2026— Shea Butter Stallion \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2 (@Shea Butter Stallion \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf2) 1625670361
Wow. Do these people know that they\u2019re living in 2021?https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412583865827397634\u00a0\u2026— Colyha (@Colyha) 1625622323
The world's most famous convict,\nJesus,\nwas anti-woke, somehow??\n\nContrast Jesus's treatment of women,\nas Valid people,\nagainst Catholic treatment of women throughout the centuries,\n& ask yourself exactly-where,\nin the testimony we got about him,\nhe was anti-woke?https://twitter.com/TB_Times/status/1412583865827397634\u00a0\u2026— : ) Antryg Revok _ Om Ah Hum! _ \u0913\u0902 \u0906\u0903 \u0939\u0942\u0902! ( : (@: ) Antryg Revok _ Om Ah Hum! _ \u0913\u0902 \u0906\u0903 \u0939\u0942\u0902! ( :) 1625622009
As a former catholic school student this is appalling and embarrassingly. Jesus himself said to love others and this is just grosshttps://twitter.com/tb_times/status/1412583865827397634\u00a0\u2026— Marybeth (@Marybeth) 1625621834
The school added they will "continue to pray for all parties involved, and, if necessary, we are prepared to defend ourselves in court."
Despite having pledged $1.3 million, the Scarpos have produced only about $240,000 of the pledged amount.
The school is considering filing a countersuit.
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