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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I would like to know about other parents experiences, in regard to a minor disagreement with a private/independent school head and/or teacher. What was the outcome? I've been told about blackballing situations, is that common?[/quote]

It does indeed happen.  Private schools are immune from many of the antitrust laws.  Many also assert immunity from FERPA, although that point can be more debatable.  They can and do prohibit you from applying to one school if you are enrolled in another, unless and until you disclose to the current school that you're leaving (in many other lines of business, this would be considered to be an actionable restriction on competition).  Your contract with your existing school also gives your existing school the right to freely employ its own practices and procedures, which likely include following the school association protocols on exactly this issue.  One actual quote re an effort to apply-out before telling the existing school:  "We are ... in agreement that we cannot proceed any further with [the] application to [New School] until we have official word that [Old School] has been informed of your decision to pursue another school option for [child] for school year ....  As I'm sure you understand, we take these enrollment contracts very seriously, as does [Old School].  We value the relationship we have with [Old School], and therefore ask that if you would like to pursue admissions at [New School] that [Old School] must be informed of this decision."  The schools coordinate their admissions dates, financial aid dates, and related matters with each other (they admit this; see --   http://www.independenteducation.org/File%20Library/Unassigned/Admission-Dates-Survey-Results-in-pre-pdf-format.pdf ).

Blackballing happens.  We know of at least two disputes.  
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