Religion in schools?

LondonDiva

OP and a numbe fo other posters have problems with Christianity being dicussed / taught / 'rammed down the children's throats', but have no issues with their children taking part in nativity plays.

I think in order to be consistent in your message and the reasons behind it - if you withdraw your child from anything related to the worship / teaching / explanation of Christianity in school, you must also withdraw them from the nativity play - after all what more expression of the faith / belief than to actually take part in celebrating / perpetuating the myths of the second most important part of the Christian calendar?

Can't have it both ways.

itsallinthemind

LondonDiva wrote: »

OP and a numbe fo other posters have problems with Christianity being dicussed / taught / 'rammed down the children's throats', but have no issues with their children taking part in nativity plays.

I think in order to be consistent in your message and the reasons behind it - if you withdraw your child from anything related to the worship / teaching / explanation of Christianity in school, you must also withdraw them from the nativity play - after all what more expression of the faith / belief than to actually take part in celebrating / perpetuating the myths of the second most important part of the Christian calendar?

Can't have it both ways.

Personally I am happy for mine to be taught about ALL religions, ALL beliefs and ALL cultures. I am not happy for them to partake in the worship of any deity.

I would be happy for my children to partake in the 'nativity' if they also partake in plays throughout the year, relating to other beliefs, therefore giving them a general awareness of ALL myths/legdgens/beliefs/cultures in a secular enironment as all state schools should be.

Discussion/understanding of the world they live in=yes
Worship of imaginary friends=no

onlyroz

I'm happy for my child to participate in any religious festival, for its cultural and social merits (e.g. at my daughter's nursery they celebrate Diwali) - just as long as it's made clear that the actual praying is optional, and that the particular religion on offer is not the only one.

Bufger

msb5262 wrote: »

"I am not sure why an atheist would choose to send a child to a church school"
quote from mintymoneysaver

Like milliebear00001, I'm an atheist who has sent all three of my children to a church school for the simple reason that it was the village school.

The nearest community school was 5 miles away.

Out here in the sticks (rural Lancashire), many of the schools are small schools with religious beginnings.

It has proved quite difficult for me to find a teaching job without having a faith reference, since this has limited me to applying for posts in non-religious schools; I can't help feeling that those teachers with faith references should perhaps only be allowed to apply at faith schools as the reverse is true for us non-Christians!

You have to study further to get a 'faith reference' for example you would do your PGCE with the addition of catholicism, it requires extra modules and extra time to study. You couldnt get the job solely based on a priests letter.

So the extra studying opens more doors. Why then shouldnt they have more choice? you are free to take up that extra studying and open up more doors for yourself.

Far too many beliefs get in the way of everything. I respect all religions but i believe in none. I respect that fact that alot of people need answers for the things in life without definative answers but im happy with who i am and im ok with whats around the corner so i personally dont need it.

Do i then want it shoved down my throat? no but it still happens! i also dont want it thrown down my childrens throats, they can explore religion in their own time when they are old enough to make a decision (6 IS NOT old enough to understand all of the possibilities).

And as for the reply from the board of education: yes the variants of religion make for social debate and give understanding but religion is also the largest cause of War throughout history so why would they choose to aim it at such young minds without regulating it in any way.

bestpud

I don't believe in God myself and haven't had my dds christened, but I don't think I should impose my views on them either!

I've always been open with them about my beliefs and have used anything they learn at school as a starting point for discussion.

As I see it, parents who have their child removed from assembly etc lack the ability to discuss difference and/or tolerance with their child so take the 'easy' option.

I see no reason to prevent my children learning other views and making up their own minds, as I was able to.

itsallinthemind

bestpud wrote: »

I don't believe in God myself and haven't had my dds christened, but I don't think I should impose my views on them either!

I've always been open with them about my beliefs and have used anything they learn at school as a starting point for discussion.

As I see it, parents who have their child removed from assembly etc lack the ability to discuss difference and/or tolerance with their child so take the 'easy' option.

I see no reason to prevent my children learning other views and making up their own minds, as I was able to.

I agree with your thoughts, but the view on removal at assemblies, that I highlighted, confuses me.

Are you happy to let your child worship a deity/god, which they have no understanding of, one which is chosen by a school, despite being non-denomination?

I do not think at this age we can have the discussion with them. At my holy communion I was petrified I was eating body/blood! The dressing like mini-brides was also beyond my understanding! My parents sent me to a Roman Catholic school as it was the best in the area, despite being Atheists. Should young children be subjected to this?

A friend who is a evangalist, goes to church, yet kids x 2 who are under 8 stay at home. She gets a lot of grief for that. But even though religious, she thinks their young minds should not be subjected to more than lent/easter/christmas, in a very lighthearted manner.

Spendless

I too, was surprised at the amount of religion in non-faith schools. I have similar views to the OP. By the time he was 9 my eldest said he was an atheist so just as well I never sent him to the church school. He does participate in all faith activities though, as a school thing rather than he believes. This includes other faiths such as school trips, or the celebtrating of Diwali

Maybe it's because mine go to seperate infant and junior schools but my experience has been the religious side trails over in the later years, or maybe it's because they don't come home talking about it as much or are more capable of making their own mind up.

There's not as much religion as when I was at school though, also at a non-faith school. How many of us remember saying 'for what you are about to receive.......' before eating our school dinner.

bestpud

itsallinthemind wrote: »

I agree with your thoughts, but the view on removal at assemblies, that I highlighted, confuses me.

Are you happy to let your child worship a deity/god, which they have no understanding of, one which is chosen by a school, despite being non-denomination?

I do not think at this age we can have the discussion with them. At my holy communion I was petrified I was eating body/blood! The dressing like mini-brides was also beyond my understanding! My parents sent me to a Roman Catholic school as it was the best in the area, despite being Atheists. Should young children be subjected to this?

A friend who is a evangalist, goes to church, yet kids x 2 who are under 8 stay at home. She gets a lot of grief for that. But even though religious, she thinks their young minds should not be subjected to more than lent/easter/christmas, in a very lighthearted manner.

My dd is 8 and understands she attends a church school and therefore follows that religion within school. She is aware that she can choose to believe or not and different religions worship differently. My aim is for her to make an informed choice rather than just follow me or take the schools word as gospel.

My older two didn't struggle to comprehend this either and came to their own conclusions.

Same with history lessons tbh - I often discuss how events can be interpreted differently and the view she is taught won't be the only one. I wouldn't dream of removing her from a history lesson so I'm not sure why I would an RE lesson.

It's all very simply put at this stage and I'd like to think my child would speak to me if she felt she was being asked to drink blood - that sounds scary! :eek:

brians_daughter

Hum..some interesting debates going on here with some good comments.

I am an atheist, but my ds attends a faith school, and as a result he believes in God, he is actually an alter boy, hes almost a teenager and has made this decision himself armed with facts and teachings from school and home- both biblical and scientific. I am proud that he has, at this stage in his life, made his own decision regarding his religious beliefs.

As I say i am an atheist but have actually studied religion and culture at Uni with a view to teaching. I have been on many palcements in faith and community schools and religion and culture has always played a part in those classes. We teach about culture and community alongside faith so discuss what certian groups of ppl have certian belief systems and what their practices are and how different religious groups can live in harmony and to respect others belief systems.

My son, who attends a faith school, is also taught in this ^ manner. Although they attend church and practice collective worship within school he is also taught religion from a cultural and society point of view. IMO this is the best route to go down in any school... rather than indoctrinating kids (regardless of what type of school they attend) teaching and understanding of cultural and religious beliefs must come first and foremost.

onlyroz

Spendless wrote: »

There's not as much religion as when I was at school though, also at a non-faith school. How many of us remember saying 'for what you are about to receive.......' before eating our school dinner.

Yes, I remember having to do that at primary school. I don't think it's the case any more though - at least my boy has never suggested to me that we should "say grace" before dinner...