Religion in schools?

onlyroz

Does anyone know the current status on the practising/preaching of religion in schools? I ask because my son (age 4) has come home from school saying that a visitor to the school told him that "God made us". He then came out with a rather confused ramble about how "God is an invisible man" and "God cares for us", and a whole load of other garbled stuff that I couldn't really make sense of.

As an agnostic bordering on atheist, I find this quite troubling. I remember that when I was at school we had a daily "assembly" where the headteacher told us a simplified bible story and then we all sang a hymn and said a prayer. I never really considered, to be honest, that things might still be done this way and I'm not sure how I feel about my kids being encouraged to believe in a God that I don't have any time for myself.

Loz01

Sounds like my niece - she's 6 and has been suitably brainwashed by the local reverend's ramblings! - they come into school and teach them pointless lessons about how jesus died for them etc etc. Unnecessary in my opinion, its not a church school and nobody in our family is religious, she hasnt been christened etc.

elektra-2007

What type of school does he go to?
Does it not say in the school prospectus about religion, im sure all schools have to teach about different cultures and religons.
My son goes to a church school so I expect religon to be taught im happy for him to know about religion and make up his own mind when he gets older.
Im sure if you dont want your son to be taught any religon join in with assembly or prayers you can ask school to remove him when this is going on. I have to say tho when I went to school there was a jehovas witness girl who had to do this, but all it did was make her life awkward as she stood out.
At 4 he wont understand it id let him just make his own mind up as he gets older.

bylromarha

I don't know current legislation, but I don't believe it has changed since my info was current in 2004.

Basically each school is supposed to participate in an "act of worship" every day. Parents can choose to remove their child from this.

A lot of school have visiting Christians/Muslims take assemblies - we had a fab team from the local church who did amazingly fun assemblies with gunk and games and prizes. They also spoke about their beliefs as part of this.

If you don't like it, then you need to speak to the head about withdrawing your child from assemblies.

elvis86

Its a difficult one, but I really do think that education should be secular, and that religious preaching in state schools, and state funded faith schools should be eradicated. With the exception of the Christmas Nativity (which perhaps makes me sound like a hypocrite!), but to me the nativity is somewhat of a British tradition, and as Christmas is so widely celebrated in Britain, it seems only right to educate our children about the background of this increasingly commercial festivity, to try and communicate the real spirit of Chrirstmas.

But other than that and maybe similar examples (Easter?), faith and education should be pretty separate. If parents want to raise their children in a certain faith, then that's their choice and should be carried out in the home or within their local religious community.

As should adoptions, but thats an entirely different argument in which I have a vested intrest.:cool:

elvis86

bylromarha wrote: »

If you don't like it, then you need to speak to the head about withdrawing your child from assemblies.

bylromarha wrote: »

I have to say tho when I went to school there was a jehovas witness girl who had to do this, but all it did was make her life awkward as she stood out.

Exactly, I wouldn't advocate stigmatising your child. After all, as much as you object to him being exposed to the beliefs of others, by withdrawing him from assembly etc, you may disadvantage him based on your beliefs.

globalds

Maybe the simple solution is just for you to explain a bit about your beliefs.

4 years old is old enough to see what a dinosaur looks like ...That is if evolution is part of what you believe.

Education has to include alternatives ....Even ones that may sound a bit lame to an adult.

GobbledyGook

My daughter's non-denominational school is by default Christian and teaches the children as such. I've withdrawn her from some of their assemblies and the likes as I am happy with religious education in terms of "Some people believe x, y and z", but don't like things like God and Heaven being taught as fact.

GobbledyGook

elvis86 wrote: »

Exactly, I wouldn't advocate stigmatising your child. After all, as much as you object to him being exposed to the beliefs of others, by withdrawing him from assembly etc, you may disadvantage him based on your beliefs.

You can ask how many other children have been withdrawn. My daughter goes with a group of around 40 other children during assemblies and they are taught about the religious aspects of the assembly along the "some people believe" lines. There's no stigma attached to it and a lot of the other kids actually say openly they'd prefer to be with the group rather than in assembly.

milliebear00001

My husband and I are athiests and we have a daughter at a Church school in Year 1. I don't have much of an issue with her learning about faith, but she knows we don't believe in a God. 6 year olds believe all sorts of stuff. Point out that although that man believes God made us, not everyone does, and it will be up to him to decide what he believes. My daughter seems happy with this, and so am I.

peachyprice

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but refusing to let your children receive any RE in school makes you no different from those teaching religion. By imposing your own agnostic/atheist values on your children you are not alllowing them to make their own decisions.