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Yes/no poll on religion in state schools.

625 replies

seeker · 08/09/2009 14:32

Do you think state schools should be secular, but with RE lessons giving information about all the main world religions as part of the curriculum?

OP posts:
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blametheparents · 08/09/2009 14:33

Yes, they should be secular

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CaptainNancy · 08/09/2009 14:34

Absolutely yes they should be secular.

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UnquietDad · 08/09/2009 14:34

There is such a divide between those who want religion as an integral component in schools and those who don't, that surely secularism in education is the only acceptable compromise.

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AramintaCane · 08/09/2009 14:35

Yes, they should be secular.

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paisleyleaf · 08/09/2009 14:35

Yes, I think they should be secular.
I can take DC to church/pray/talk about Bible stories out of school if I wish.

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undercoverelephant · 08/09/2009 14:36

Yes - should be secular

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MrsBartlet · 08/09/2009 14:37

Definitely should be secular.

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BunnyLebowski · 08/09/2009 14:41

Yes yes YES they should be secular.

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skybright · 08/09/2009 14:44

Yes

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englishpatient · 08/09/2009 14:45

Yes

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YouKnowNothingoftheCrunch · 08/09/2009 14:46

Yes

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AnnieLobeseder · 08/09/2009 14:52

Yes, absolutely. I very much resent my village school teaching my Jewish child to pray to Jesus.

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GrimmaTheNome · 08/09/2009 14:52

Glad you started this seeker! I'd been thinking of doing something like this myself.

Yes they should be secular
Yes they should have education about main religions/world views.

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throckenholt · 08/09/2009 14:56

YES - definitely secular.

Yes they should be taught about belief systems and also that some don't belief any organised religion.

Seems unanimous so far

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GreensleevesFlouncedLikeAKnob · 08/09/2009 14:57

yes secular

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ninedragons · 08/09/2009 14:59

Yes. I would go so far as to say that religious schools should be illegal. They are a force for social separatism and division. If you want to teach your children about your particular religion, do it at home.

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happywomble · 08/09/2009 14:59

NO !

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weegiemum · 08/09/2009 15:00

Yes, they should be secular.
Yes, they shoudl educate about the major world religions with , if possible, people from those religions coming in to talk about their religion.

Not up to schools to enforce any kind of worship, IMO. There should be NO state funded religious schools.

(I'm a practicing Christian, btw, if that makes any difference? I hate seeing me faith misrepresented by crappy assemblies etc ....)

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sorky · 08/09/2009 15:01

Religion should have nothing to do with either education or politics.

Unfortunately, it seems to have a far too influential grip on both.

Faith schools should be self-funding too imo. If you want a religious education for your child you should pay for it.

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choppychopster · 08/09/2009 15:09

Yes,schools should definitely be secular. Teach about what different religions believe give moral guidance (for example treat others how you would like to be treated yourself, don't steal, etc.) but children shouldn't be expected to worship or faced with reglious indoctrination.

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hayes · 08/09/2009 15:10

yes

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GoldenSnitch · 08/09/2009 15:14

Ditto what Sorky said.

Yes they should be secular

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Snorbs · 08/09/2009 15:15

sorky, I agree entirely - if you want your child to go to a faith school then you should pay for their place.

I do somewhat resent the fact that the only state secondary school within a reasonable distance for my DS is unavailable to him because he doesn't believe in their invisible man religion.

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Chaotica · 08/09/2009 15:17

secular!

(And I'm not too fussed about whether they learn about religion or not, although I don't mind it coming up at some point between Icelandic sagas and Greek Myths.)

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Fennel · 08/09/2009 15:22

Yes but the RE lessons should include information on humanism and other forms of secular atheism.

Really I'd prefer children to be taught theology and philosophy rather than "information about the main religions". Things like querying what is a religion, how might religion evolve in societies - assuming it isn't a god-given truth.
and if a religion is a god-given truth how can different religions equally be the unique god-given truth, could that be possible?
etc.

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