WWYD- pulling kid out of nativity play

[ferrisbulerisonabreak]

I don't want my kid to take part in of nativity play due to religious reasons. We have decided that we will keep her home instead of sending her in on that day. I want to know how to approach the school about it and will I have to take authorised leave or unauthorised?

Please don't go off topic by saying I should be letting my child participate in it and such. We have made our decision. Whether you agree with or not is not up for discussion. Just want to know where we stand and how to approach the school with it.

Gosh OP even if you already discussed with the school you've left it unfairly on the school late to be pulling DC out now donkey/stable door?

The Muslim faith is very accepting of other faiths I don't see your stance here at all? But agree with others here it is very unreasonable to pull out your DC now.

You’ve got to be kidding pouty you’re being deliberately obtuse aren’t you?

I’m not.

(I went to a Church secondary school, by the way, which couldn’t have made me more athiest!)

Ok well then surely you realise religion has an undeniable impact on your history and culture?

Absolutely not. As I say, in real terms the only impact culturally now on my life is some bank holidays and not being able to shop for longer than 6 hours on sundays. It literally doesn’t feature in my life AT ALL otherwise.

Best make sure you never play any Handel Oratorios then (Ds is currently looking at Messiah & Coronation Anthems for GCSE music.

Or any Requiems. In fact a majority of choral music really.

I do remember at uni a fellow student refused to perform in David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus because she was an evangelical Christian. She still had to attend all rehearsals though or she’d have failed the module.

We did the Brandenburg Concerto for GCSE. And Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima.

I’m an experimental musician. Haven’t played anything by Handel et al for over 20 years. And I’d still argue that the instrumental isn’t religious - the lyrics are. (Registry offices agree re civil ceremonies where no religious music is allowed: the instrumental can’t be religious.)

I used to sit out of Christmas Nativity play, and it was never a big deal. (also the Hindu/islamic and Jewish assemblies) My mum would discuss it with the teacher at the start of the year. I never minded, I got to do another activity of my choice usually or go and chill in the library (which I enjoyed) I wouldn't be taken out of school for it though. And I went to a very diverse school - so there were often children from other religions sitting out as well (quakers if I remember correctly)

For those worried that it's wrong to not learn about other religions, that's not the case at all - I went on to get a A* at gcse RE, it was just acting out acts of worship and singing songs/reciting prayers that was the issue, not learning about what others believe.

Hope you manage to sort it OP

Perhaps MNHQ don't see any justification for deleting the thread. I don't either.

I totally don’t understand why people are ok with their kid performing in a totally fictional show such as The Wizard of Oz but get upset about them performing in another totally fictional show such as the nativity.

Because the nativity isn’t always sold as a story?

Hmm, you want to check the script before you decide whether to allow your child to participate in the activity.
You won't entertain debate and now wish to shut down the thread because you don't like it.
Well aren't you a delight.

Can you ask MN to close a thread when you have had all the replies you want?

What @GlitterSnot said is perfectly put

Shit better stop singing most songs with my class then in case they believe the stuff about crocodiles eating them, weasels going pop and Alice the camel having ten humps... 😒

What's all this about Weezols popping?

I get it OP. There are nativities that are told as a nice story with animals and shepherds and a baby in a stable, then there's getting the non Christian child to declaim we celebrate Christmas because Jesus came to save us. We've had 6 years the former type which I had no problem with. This year they've given withdrawn from religious worship atheist DD the latter kind of lines. Either mean or very careless. We are gritting our teeth but would keep her home if she asked, it's pretty awkward for her and too much to ask a young child to speak out for herself.

I know it’s unpopular OP, but I don’t think I’d particularly want my child in a nativity play either. Over the years I’ve learned to accept a lot of the cultural influences of Christianity and engage with them, even celebrate them. But I have also had many bad experiences with Christians. I think it’s difficult for people to understand when they have grown up in this culture, even if they are atheist. It’s all much more normal and benign to them. For me, Christianity comes with a lot of baggage that something like The Wizard of Oz does not.

Good luck navigating this; I don’t look forward to making these sorts of decisions myself.

Pouty well, I had no idea that you personally = every single person who experiences Western European culture. Who knew?

Some of these replies are appalling. Ffs she was only asking a question. I’ve known plenty of Muslim parents withdraw their kids from the nativity - the OP’s hardly doing anything unusual

Nativity rehearsals are way under way.
Schools finish shortly, are you seriously suggesting Muslim parents wait until the last minute to voice their religious objections
I think this thread was deliberately provocative.

If OP ever comes back I just want to say I am Christian and I fully understand why she would want to withdraw her child from it. I'm non-trinitarian and would feel the same way for my own kids if the nativity was overly pushing that doctrine. There's enough confusion in the world without having friends and teachers at school saying one thing and family/friends at home saying another - especially on something this fundamental.

You sound very defensive. This really is a non issue. No school would have a problem with a child not taking part for religious reasons.

I believe my Muslim niece is an angel. And bloody excited she is too.

Baked, I know a Muslim family who won’t involve themselves in a whole load of school events, because there is alcohol on sale (Pimms, mulled wine -the PTA raise a lot of money from these stalls!). I find it very sad that they are ostracising their children from the school community in this way. It’s their choice, it’s not imposed, and clearly they think it more important. I don’t think it’s helpful at all.