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"I don't want to send my kids to a school where I know that they're not going to be loved and accepted."
Nine-year-old Cady Mansell, from St. John, Indiana, just wanted to wear a white suit to her First Communion instead of a dress. That proved to be too much self-expression for the priest at St. John the Evangelist School, who denied the child her request.
"The priest of the Church did not want Cady to wear a suit to first communion," explained Cady's mother Chris to BBC. "She would need to wear a dress to First Communion, or that she could receive her First Communion in her suit privately, but not part of the group ceremony."
Cady explained to BBC that the church's decision made her "sad because then I wouldn't get to see my friends. And I wouldn't get to wear a suit either."
"We don't want to worship there," Chris continued. "I don't want to send my kids to a school where I know that they're not going to be loved and accepted for the six hours a day that they're there, five days a week."
The family has since moved churches and schools, and contacted a lawyer. On the Facebook group Pantsuit Nation, Chris explained that in reply to the church's statement they "let no one go against dress code." She wondered why "other girls were allowed to violate the dress code, but still attend the ceremony and receive communion. The dress code states NO sleeveless dress are allowed, shoulders must be covered. But almost all the girls wore sleeveless dresses. MY daughter was the only girl excluded for violating the dress code."
