See the full press release at China Aid's website.
October 25, 2009
XINJIANG--Second-year high school student Chen Le stated emphatically, "I would rather be forced out of school, than deny my faith." On October 20, 2009, the High School Division of the Huashan Middle School officially expelled Chen for signing a document confirming his identity as a Christian. The Official Notice of Expulsion reads as follows:
Chen Le, a 2nd grader from Class 8 of Senior High School, was found by Bazhou Public Security Agency and other related agencies to have engaged in Christian gatherings. His school was notified that it should educate the student and persuade him to mend his ways. However, efforts from the class advisor and some leaders from the school in educating him have all failed and this student persists in his belief that he should not renounce his Christian belief. He can’t promise that he will not believe in Christianity or attend Christian activities. He also claims that if the school wants him to write a statement of self-criticism and self-introspection of examining his error of attending religious activities as a high school student, he would rather not attend this school. Given the above situation, this school advises him to transfer to other related schools.
High School DivisionHuashan Middle School
2nd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
Date: October 20, 2009
Seal: 2nd Agricultural Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps
"The above is true."
Chen Le, Signature
Date: October 20, 2009
Chen Le does not regret signing this document and refusing to renounce his Christian faith. His expulsion comes at a great price; he has been subsequently barred from taking the mandatory college entrance exam, effectively depriving him of his future education.
ChinaAid denounces the Huashan Middle School's blatant religious discrimination against minor Chen Le, and calls for the immediate repeal of the letter of expulsion.
