Family, church spar over girl who wants to play with boys

KENILWORTH, N.J. (AP) A family is continuing its fight against a Catholic school that wouldn't let their daughter play on a boys basketball team.

A New Jersey judge on Thursday set arguments for the week of July 24 in the case of 13-year-old Sydney Phillips.

St. Theresa's School in Kenilworth has rejected applications for next school year from Phillips and her younger sister, Kaitlyn Phillips.

The Archdiocese of Newark's lawyer says the family has been a disruptive force in the school and school leaders made a religious decision to reject their applications.

The girls were expelled after their family sued. An appellate judge ordered the girls be allowed to return until a court hearing. A different judge had denied the family's attempt to get Sydney on a boys team after the girls team was canceled.