School expels girl who sued to play on boys' team

NEW JERSEY (FOX 5 NEWS) - On Wednesday night, Scott Phillips learned St. Theresa's Catholic School in Kenilworth, New Jersey, had expelled both his daughters.

"I am disgusted. She did nothing to that school and her sister did nothing wrong," Phillips said. "They did nothing and all they wanted to do was play basketball."

The New York Liberty invited 12-year-old Sydney to one of its practices after Sydney's school disbanded its girls' basketball team after last season and St. Theresa's declined Sydney's attempts to join the boys team.

The Phillips family sued the school to allow Sydney to play with the boys. On Wednesday the school expelled Sydney and her younger sister Katie. St. Theresa's students heard about the expulsion of the Phillips girls from classmates at school Thursday.

"She's an honors student. She's in the honors society," Phillips said. "She's on the student council. She helps with all the plays and she plays volleyball, softball, basketball. They should be embracing this girl's spirit."

The Phillips family plans to appeal a ruling from a superior court judge that kept Sydney off the boys' team.

"I was baptized in that church. That's where I made my first communion," Phillips said. "I buried my parents FROM that church and this is the thanks we get because she wanted to play basketball?"

The Archdiocese of Newark said it does not discuss student matters.