Only Christian kids given a prize

[IDontWantRealism]

Can someone help me see reason with this? My kids are atheist but Jewish by ancestry. They go to a non-denominational school but in a very traditional rural area with lots of Christian students. They ran a competition which involved making a profession of faith over Easter. Obviously my kids didn’t enter but many others did. We were told there would be a prize but today at school all children who entered were given a prize leaving out the few non-Christian children and the few other children who didn’t enter. That’s not ok is it? I need some help navigating this as the school have form. We’ve previously had to moan about them being taught other problematic views.

They didn't enter though.

They didn't enter the contest.

Your children didn't enter, therefore didn't get a prize. If other non-Christian children entered and were excluded from a prize then that's for their own parents to take up with the school, if they wish to.

Ask them if they’ll be doing a profession of science for National Day of Reason on May 4th and what the prize will be.

They couldn’t have. It would have meant they, and the few other Muslim/Jewish/Hindu kids writing a profession of Christian faith- along the lines of Jesus Lives.

I think I'd need more details about the competition to advise really. Was it something you could have joined in with in your own way or completely excluded unless you agreed that you accepted Jesus Christ as your saviour?

If it's non denominational then they shouldn't be running competitions based on faith!

Quite!

It's a bit of a weird thing to have a competition about. Professions of faith aren't a competitive activity! Was it run by the school or by someone external?

@Pamandherpampams 's question is an excellent one. If they provide a competition that some cannot enter, then there should be one that they can enter instead.

Would students have been allowed to make a statement affirming their atheist beliefs?

if not, it is blatant discrimination.

It was an Easter-related thing, Christian children (or their parents) did the thing, got a participation award. What’s the problem?
Can you elaborate on their other “problematic views”?

To my mind they were excluded. There wasn’t an option to do something different. You had to write a message along the lines of Jesus Lives. I’m not putting the exact wording as I think it’s possible someone could see this and know what I am talking about as the competition was in the local press too. The exact wording was the same for every child. It was then decorated and the prize was for the best one. Only it wasn’t one prize, it ended up being one for every child who entered.

By ‘non denominational’ do you mean its just a regular community primary school?

Was it a competition run by the school, or a competition any school children could enter run by a faith organisation?

I still don’t see the issue after your update - it was Easter, and it was themed.

I wouldn't be happy about that.

Correct, it’s a normal community non-faith school. They have a very close link with a local Christian church who come into school weekly to essentially tell the kids about Jesus.

I see you left out the exact details of the competition..... And non denominational schools still have to teach RE, believe it or not that may mean learning about a religious festival! Some of that teaching could take the form of a competition, just like maths competitions etc.. And if you don't enter don't moan about not winning.

Do they also celebrate and talk
about other faith’s celebrations - Eid, Hanukkah, Diwali?

It's not generic Easter though is it. If they done eggs, bunnies, lambs that would have been fine. Having to profess a belief in Jesus Christ definitely excludes all non-Christians which is not ok. It's a school, not a church.

Was the activity run by the church group? Have you questioned the exclusion with the school?

I work in a church school. Most of the pupils are Muslim. We hold things like Easter or Christmas competitions, have services in church each term, have prayers once a week. All children participate. This week we are also celebrating Eid. Again, all pupils will participate. Non Christian children usually enter the competitions from the viewpoint of “This is what Christians believe”.

I have added the exact details of the competition, the only thing I changed was the wording.

No, they haven’t yet done anything about any other religions but my oldest is only in Primary 4 so it may yet happen.

It depends whether they were expected to write a statement, or profess the statement.

I could - given a bit of research - probably write a statement of faith for many different religions, which I don’t believe in.

If they could only enter the competition if they were willing to profess the statement they had written, then no, not acceptable to exclude them from the possibility of a prize.

Easter is about Jesus, the rest is commercial fun stuff.