Opinions on what is being taught in R.E. in community primary school

[MayorOfOz]

I chose a community primary school for my DC rather than a faith school, and it is very important to me that education is not influenced by religion. I talked to the head when we started at the school about the requirement for school to teach RE and was happy that they taught children about all religions. I have no issue with this and think it’s great having an understanding of all faiths, religions and customs.
DC came home recently though and told me they had watched a video on YouTube of the story Heaven by Nicholas Allen. I watched it and am really annoyed on many levels - that heaven wasn’t spoken about in a “this is what Christians believe” type of way, and the book itself which mentions “down” for hell (with a picture) when talking about all the mistakes the dog made - as well as talking about the dog dying and going to heaven and waving at clouds. My DC is autistic and takes things very literally, so I have always been honest about death and dealt with facts scientifically. For a non church school this book seems a very odd choice. I asked if it was prefaced with “Christian’s believe when they die they go to heaven” but they said no they just watched the video (I appreciate this may not be the case)
I just wondered if I’m odd in thinking this isn’t what an RE curriculum should look like. I’m not very good at articulating what has irked me so much (apart from this book contradicting everything I’ve taught my children!) I’d appreciate peoples thoughts.

It’s not a book about what Christians believe, so I’m not sure why you’d expect the school to preface it as if it is. It’s a story book about a very non-religious, non-specific version of “heaven” as it might be imagined by a dog. I’m struggling to see why you’d object to it.

It might also be worth bearing mind that community schools in England are non-denominational rather than secular.

Thanks for your reply. My objection is that the book indicates that when people (or dogs) die, they go to heaven as a fact, rather than a belief.

Wouldn't bother me, teaching of things like beliefs or values don't just get taught in school and what does get taught in school you might not agree with, just give a balanced view at home.

More compkex for you if your ds takes things literally, can you explain the history of religion in the UK and that is why schools still teach it that way. Explain to him it is a made up cultural thing and maybe give him other examples.

It sounds like a fable on the same level as stories about elves or dragons or whatever (& plenty of books aimed at children are framed as if those things are real, but only some people can see them etc etc). I don't think a YouTube video about the afterlife of a dog is any kind of meaningful expression of any actual religion TBH.

Have you got a copy of the curriculum to see what they are learning about? Where I am (county write the framework so almost all schools follow same structure) they usually learn about an idea or a concept with an example from one or more of the major world religions, but predominantly the Abrahamic religions. Get hold of the curriculum from the school and then speak with your DC about anything coming up that might be problematic.

I wouldn't be happy if this was taught as if it was fact.

I didn't think christians believe dogs go to heaven anyway. I remember my daughter crying when young as someone told her our dog didn't have a soul and so couldn't go. Not that we believed in heaven anyways. I wouldn't be too happy about the scenario you describe.

Are you sure this was as part of the RE curriculum, and not part of English/Literacy?

I don't think a NT child would interpret this story literally - the dog packs his suitcase ready to go to 'Heaven', then has a detailed verbal conversation with the girl, then is taken away by the 'Dog Angels' with no body remaining. I think it's meant to spark discussion on the different ideas that the two have of what 'Heaven' might be like and for the reader to reflect on what their own personal 'Heaven' might be at this stage in their lives - also around death as something that can't be avoided even if we don't want someone to go.

There is a presupposition in the book that some kind of afterlife exists, even if the characters can't agree on what it might be like, but I would expect a discussion to include an "...or even if there's an afterlife at all" qualifier. I don't know what age your DC is but at some stages the different assumptions of the dog and the girl about the afterlife could be an effective introduction to comparing different religions' beliefs about what happens after death.

I think the story itself isn't the issue but that the questions to be asked are around (a) what extra support your son is given when teaching is done through the medium of stories that are not literally true, as he needs extra support and signposting to process them in the intended manner, and (b) what discussion is actually taking place beyond passive consumption of the stories -- which is something the school ought to be able to confirm to you.

Was this really part of an RE lesson? I have used it in English, and have given the picture book to a pupil who was very upset about a pet's death. The only time I used it in RE it was to spark a debate about what the 'afterlife' looked like for each child - some said there is no afterlife, and that was fine.

They wouldn't have started with 'this is what Christians believe....' because they don't. It's a dog version of what afterlife is like - lots of lampposts to pee on etc.

My advice would be to pick your battles, and this isn't one worth picking. Even non-faith community schools must have a broadly Christian ethos.

well, I hadn't heard of this book, and so I've just watched the video.

I am guessing that they used this video as an introduction to the idea that people believe different things about what happens when you die, or to a discussion time about what YOU believe, or to introduce the whole concept of grief or death etc etc.

This video is not a Christian belief thing at all, the dog's view of heaven and the girls are both quite different and don't bear any relation to what any of the major religions teach. There is no mention of God at all, which is quite foundational to the Christian view of heaven!

What is key though to why I think you are uncomfprtable, is that while schools teach about what the major religions believe (and they do usually do quite a good job of that) they never teach atheism. They never teach properly the idea that some people don't believe in any of the major religions. Which is interesting, and is what you are hitting up against I think.

Be reassured though, kids learn their values and beliefs primarily at home.

"Be reassured though, kids learn their values and beliefs primarily at home."

I think most people end up with their parents' religion or none. Not many people swap based on their school's influence. This is a nice story about what this dog thinks will happen when he dies and the reader is free to think differently.

Are you sure it teaches the Christian view of heaven? The Christian view of "heaven" is very very specific, it definitely isn't about "good" people floating up to the clouds when they die.