Parents in California contend school officials expelled their children after they posted critical comments about their response to the coronavirus on Facebook.

Santa Clara County closed all public schools on March 13 in an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus, and most private schools also shut down. But officials at the Utah-based Challenger Academy, which operates 10 schools for pre-k through eighth grade in the Bay Area, opted to continue classes, NBC Bay Area reports.

“I recognize that, as of yesterday, public schools have closed in several states. I hear the requests asking for Challenger School to do the same, and I also hear the statements of gratitude for keeping our doors open,” Challenger CEO Hugh Gourgeon wrote to parents on Sunday, March 14.

The decision didn’t sit well with many parents, who took to Facebook to vent their frustrations and urge officials to shut down.

“I hope you will consider online classes or completely cancel school to follow social distancing guidelines. Please keep teachers, students and others safe!” one parent wrote.

“…Please show some responsibility for your teachers and students and close the schools. It’s really risky for older teachers and grandparents of kids…,” another wrote.

Challenger schools remained open the following Monday, then were forced to take action by shelter-in-place orders issued for six Bay Area counties.

Parents who complained were relieved, until they received a call from Challenger Executive Director Dave Mounteer, NBC Bay Area reports.

“[Dave] said based on your comment, we are not satisfied, and you are not satisfied with Challenger, so we are going to unenroll your kids immediately,” one parent told the news site. “They automatically unenrolled our kids, just because of the comment.”

Five other parents told NBC Bay Area the same thing.

“We have over 20 parents that have been affected by this,” another parent said. “I feel like it is retaliation because we never did anything to negatively impact Challenger. All we are asking is to consider closing the school for the safety of children and staff members.”

“I was devastated,” another added. “I feel the school is just retaliating against us.”

Mounteer and Gourgeon ignored repeated calls and emails from NBC Bay Area about the controversy.

“According to Challenger’s policy handbook, the school can remove any student whose parents are deemed ‘uncooperative’ to school administrators or ‘will not be satisfied with Challenger’s choices or services.’ A clause many parents admit they didn’t read until after the school removed their kids,” the news site reports.

Parents contend the petty payback sends the wrong message to students, and only adds more stress to a difficult situation.

“I couldn’t sleep after this. I felt like ‘what did I do’ to push my children out of school,” a parent told NBC Bay Area. “Now I have to explain to them why they need to go to a new school in the middle of the school year and that they can’t all go back to their friends.”

The parents involved did not want to reveal their names, for obvious reasons.