The following article appeared in the Jan. 27, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
In a 2022 lawsuit, parents say the expulsion breached their contract with Charlotte Latin, while the school says the enrollment agreement allowed for it
A lawsuit filed against Charlotte Latin School in 2022 will head to the N.C. Supreme Court. (Ledger file photo)
The N.C. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear the case of two Charlotte Latin School parents who say their children were improperly expelled following an argument between the children’s father and administrators.
The Supreme Court’s acceptance of the case keeps alive a lawsuit that had been rejected by a Mecklenburg trial court and an appeals court.
The court said it would review a 2-1 appeals court decision from last year that sided with Charlotte Latin in a lawsuit brought by Doug and Nicole Turpin. In the fall of 2021, Doug Turpin got into a testy argument with administrators over what he said was the increasingly political direction of the south Charlotte private school’s curriculum, and during that meeting, the school said it would kick out the Turpins’ children, then ages 11 and 13. The head of school said Turpin wasn’t working with the school in good faith.
The Turpins alleged Charlotte Latin breached its contract with them, while the school said it was within its rights under the school’s enrollment agreement.
In a statement provided to The Ledger on Sunday, the Turpins said they hope the Supreme Court overturns the previous court rulings because otherwise, “parents and children who attend private schools across our state will be without a legal remedy when woke administrators retaliate against them for their personal views.”
They also said their case led them to start a nonprofit called Coalition for Liberty, which “protects everyday Americans from cancel culture attacks.” —Tony Mecia
Related Ledger articles:
“Tensions flare at Charlotte Latin” (Feb. 23, 2022)
“N.C. appeals court sides with Charlotte Latin on parents’ lawsuit” (Jan. 3, 2024)
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