Has your child attended Catholic school when not Catholic?

bylromarha

DS got into his 1st choice secondary today. It's Catholic and by far had the best feel to us for developing him into a well rounded young man compared to the OUTSTANDING school (repeated several times at the open evening) in the expensive nearby town or the 2 other local schools which are Apple teaching schools - so the kids do every lesson on an Ipad.

The school seemed very used to non Catholics attending - just going to take these next few months to explain things like spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch ;-)

Savvy_Sue

bylromarha wrote: »

The school seemed very used to non Catholics attending - just going to take these next few months to explain things like spectacles, testicles, wallet and watch ;-)

:rotfl: I think I left DS1 to get on with it: it was only when I went to the first mass of the school year that I realised I hadn't warned him what was going to happen (at our church the children weren't usually present for communion, and if they were it was passed around rather than going up to the front).

Anyway, I realised one of the teachers was busily checking who had and hadn't made their first communion, and I guess anyone looking blank in response to that question had their arms firmly crossed across their body before being sent to the altar rail ...

jaydeeuk1

The best school around here is apparently a catholic one but wife and I agree we wouldn't want our daughter there. I used to go to a church of england primary school, I really enjoyed it although I hated singing in assemblies or praying so I was forced to sit at the front in the whole of the school so in the end resorted to miming. Its like a frickin cult.

When my wife was a primary school teacher, they would teach science and say something like 'this is what scientists have discovered, here's the facts etc etc, and also say some people believe this happened as written in this book etc', so giving a balanced view and letting kids have an open mind.

Her friend at the catholic school teaches primary too, and the science becomes 2nd best and the religious part is shown as fact and really pushed (unless ofsted comes in!), which really puts me off. Might as well teach them that the tooth fairy exists!

Wife used to have a jehovas' witness in one of her classes. His parents told her to make sure that no kid gave him a birthday party invite, any xmas, easter, hindu festivals, ramadan lessons he must be kept out of. Poor kid had hardly any friends, had never had a birthday cake let alone a party. Its disgusting and bordering on child cruelty all in the name of some made up sky fairy.

I think religion should be banned from running schools but thats for another argument. Teach the kids that it exists, in the same way we once thought the earth was flat.

Janepig

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

I think religion should be banned from running schools but thats for another argument. Teach the kids that it exists, in the same way we once thought the earth was flat.

I agree with this!! By all means if you want your children to be brought up in a particular religion then take them to church or whatever relevant religious establishment, but it's got no place in schools at all.

Jx

Jagraf

I would say religion plays a massive part in everyone's lives, not our own beliefs, but why others believe certain things and why. Religion has been a huge part of history and has been the influence of many decisions both good and bad.

RE shouldn't be about indoctrination, but its certainly important.

Jagraf

Janepig wrote: »

I agree with this!! By all means if you want your children to be brought up in a particular religion then take them to church or whatever relevant religious establishment, but it's got no place in schools at all.

Jx

I think just taking them to church lessens a child's chance of making up their own mind, much more so than school.

What else should we ban? History? Art? philosophy?

Janepig

Jagraf wrote: »

I think just taking them to church lessens a child's chance of making up their own mind, much more so than school.

What else should we ban? History? Art? philosophy?

Eh? None of that makes any sense! I'm not saying RE shouldn't be part of the curriculum, as in studying all religions, but actually having church services, mass, praying, teaching science from the perspective of a particular religion, etc..... None of that has a place in state schools imo. At some point a child may or may not get to an age where they no longer wish to attend church or start to question their beliefs, schools don't need to be involved.

Jx

Jagraf

Janepig wrote: »

Eh? None of that makes any sense! I'm not saying RE shouldn't be part of the curriculum, as in studying all religions, but actually having church services, mass, praying, teaching science from the perspective of a particular religion, etc..... None of that has a place in state schools imo. At some point a child may or may not get to an age where they no longer wish to attend church or start to question their beliefs, schools don't need to be involved.

Jx

Sorry I misread what you said, I thought you wanted RE to be taken out of school

Gloomendoom

Janepig wrote: »

I agree with this!! By all means if you want your children to be brought up in a particular religion then take them to church or whatever relevant religious establishment, but it's got no place in schools at all.

Jx

I has in a faith school.

Janepig

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I has in a faith school.

There shouldn't be such things. Not funded by the tax payer anyway.

Jx