Custodial parent wants to put daughter into private school

[someonehelp]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Hello everyone,
I received an email from custodial parent saying that she wants to put our daughter into a private high school.
I told her that I could not afford to pay for half of the yearly tuition, and I thought that the public school in the area were very good.
I am currently unemployed, living off of savings.
She told me that she only wanted me to pay half of the entrance fee which would be around $500 and that she would pay for the yearly tuition herself.

My question is if I did help pay for our daughter to get into this private school by paying for half of the entrance fee would I be responsible for paying for the other half of the yearly tuition if the custodial parent were to change her mind and we went to court?
I hear that one of the factors judges take into consideration when making a parent pay for private school if whether the children were attending private schools before.

They both left California when our daughter was 3.
Custodial parent has sole legal custody and only contacts me when there are financial issues.
There is a court order for child support and there is nothing written about financial responsibility for education.
They are both living in France.

I also posted this question on a different message board, I apologize if that is frowned upon.
I just found FreeAdvice and thought I might get different insight if I also posted here.

I would like to help out as much as possible and I can afford to pay the $500 one time entrance fee, but I am fearful that if I help her get into this private school I could possibly be responsible for paying for half of the yearly tuition which I can not afford.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Hello everyone,
I received an email from custodial parent saying that she wants to put our daughter into a private high school.
I told her that I could not afford to pay for half of the yearly tuition, and I thought that the public school in the area were very good.
I am currently unemployed, living off of savings.
She told me that she only wanted me to pay half of the entrance fee which would be around $500 and that she would pay for the yearly tuition herself.

My question is if I did help pay for our daughter to get into this private school by paying for half of the entrance fee would I be responsible for paying for the other half of the yearly tuition if the custodial parent were to change her mind and we went to court?
I hear that one of the factors judges take into consideration when making a parent pay for private school if whether the children were attending private schools before.

They both left California when our daughter was 3.
Custodial parent has sole legal custody and only contacts me when there are financial issues.
There is a court order for child support and there is nothing written about financial responsibility for education.
They are both living in France.

I also posted this question on a different message board, I apologize if that is frowned upon.
I just found FreeAdvice and thought I might get different insight if I also posted here.

I would like to help out as much as possible and I can afford to pay the $500 one time entrance fee, but I am fearful that if I help her get into this private school I could possibly be responsible for paying for half of the yearly tuition which I can not afford.

Thank you in advance.

Wait a second. Didn't you say elsewhere that the child has been in public school for 3 years already?

 

[Zigner]

Wait a second. Didn't you say elsewhere that the child has been in public school for 3 years already?

OP's post count is -1-

 

[stealth2]

OP's post count is -1-

"Elsewhere" doesn't necessarily mean on FA...

 

[someonehelp]

Wait a second. Didn't you say elsewhere that the child has been in public school for 3 years already?

No I never said that our daughter was in public junior school school.
I had always assumed that she was in public school system.
Last night I did however find out she was in private junior school the last 3 years, custodial parent never told me.
Now custodial parent wants to place her into a private high school.

Sorry if it sounds confusing

 

[Zigner]

No I never said that our daughter was in public junior school school.
I had always assumed that she was in public school system.
Last night I did however find out she was in private junior school the last 3 years, custodial parent never told me.
Now custodial parent wants to place her into a private high school.

Sorry if it sounds confusing

Why shouldn't the child continue in private school?

 

[single317dad]

No I never said that our daughter was in public junior school school.
I had always assumed that she was in public school system.
Last night I did however find out she was in private junior school the last 3 years, custodial parent never told me.
Now custodial parent wants to place her into a private high school.

Sorry if it sounds confusing

For three years you didn't know what school your child attended, and now you want input on the matter?

Is this about money?

 

[I'mTheFather]

I thought his post was pretty clear that it's about the money. He doesn't care whether it's public or private, he just doesn't want to have to pay. I doubt that he'd be ordered to since the mother has managed private school without his help for the past 3 years.

I wonder if the ex would even pursue a modification given she lives in France.

 

[stealth2]

How often do you see/have contact with your daughter? How did you not know where she was going to school? How did you come to the conclusion that the public schools in her part of France were good?

 

[someonehelp]

For three years you didn't know what school your child attended, and now you want input on the matter?

Is this about money?

Unfortunately as terrible as it may sound this is about money.
After getting laid off last year I am living off my savings.
I have always paid child support on time, but it is very hard.
If there is going to be the additional expense of private school added to my monthly child support amount, it would be devastating..

 

[someonehelp]

How often do you see/have contact with your daughter? How did you not know where she was going to school? How did you come to the conclusion that the public schools in her part of France were good?

I have not had contact with my daughter for the 8 years. It was a 1 week visit when they came back to California this is the last I saw her.
Custodial parent and I have limited contact and when we do speak it is usually about financial issues.
When they first moved to France I asked for her address, she would not give it to me. When I asked her again she just told me not to worry about that and that it was a nice safe suburb in France.
So I guess I just assumed that the public schools in her part of France were good based on what she told me.

 

[LdiJ]

Unfortunately as terrible as it may sound this is about money.
After getting laid off last year I am living off my savings.
I have always paid child support on time, but it is very hard.
If there is going to be the additional expense of private school added to my monthly child support amount, it would be devastating..

Just tell mom that you are sorry, but you cannot pay for it. You are not court ordered to pay for private school, and quite frankly, it would probably cost mom more to take you back to court to get you ordered to pay for it, than any amount you might be ordered to pay.