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.

It manifestly excludes children on the grounds of religion, which is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, and therefore it's unlawful.

OP, I'm guessing they haven't organised anything comparable for Ramadan or Jewish festivals?

I think we're talking at cross purposes? I know the names of other Christian denominations! But none of them are involved in running schools in Scotland.

Now that is very unusual.
It is normally a trained minister who would do the odd assembly (maybe 3 a year). Not do things like run competitions in school.

I do think I'd speak with the school.

But they could only enter by professing a faith they did not believe in, which for many children might be radically contrary to their own religion or beliefs. So obviously it's exclusion.

I thought it was the norm for non-denominatuonal school to have a Chaplin usually CoS.

Are you in Scotland?

@LumpySpaceGoddess

That would be great, would love to see twilight Prince too.

I played ocarina and majoras mask recently on Nintendo online

Was great but remastered would be amazing

I think the issue here is that it is an outside organisation coming into the school to teach about Jesus.

My kids have been through 2 COfE schools and I am certain that a competition like this run by the school would be for children to discuss their own particular faith.

if the school is allowing one religious group to come into the school from outside and preach then yes that is a problem that should be addressed.

I wasn't sure initially, but with your update about the exact wording, yes this definitely sounds like a profession of faith. It could have still been okay if the alternative activity also had similar odds of attracting a similar prize, but it didn't. So it does feel discriminatory. I suspect the church provided the prizes, giving the number of chocs that they had received entries, and then the school didn't really think about it. But I think your children have every right to feel excluded. I wouldn't go in guns blazing, but I would have to raise it with the school, if in your shoes. Because people do need to think.

CoI Catholic

Yep, Scotland. Chaplain is just a visitor to the school, at the school's invitation. No role or influence in running it (except the OP's school though, which sounds a bit nuts!)

Christian church running Christian-themed competition within its own congregation, absolutely fine. Christian church running Christian-themed competition within a school but telling non-Christian children who would like the chance to enter and win a prize that they can only do so by proclaiming something against their beliefs - definitely not fine. Unlawful, in fact.

I don't think you're overreacting, OP. I think they have overstepped the mark and been extremely exclusionary.

I can only imagine the ruckus on here if children in a supposedly non-denominational school were all requested to proclaim their faith in Allah, or commit to be Jehovah's Witnesses.

A life lesson that says we're offering a prize but even if you want to enter for a competition we will set it up in such a way that you can't?

Do you think it would be OK to offer prizes for everyone who climbs a tall cliff, and saying to the ones who can't do it due to physical disabilities or acrophobia or vertigo that they can't complain because they didn't enter?

Do you understand what the Equality Act is and that schools have to comply with it?

Indeed they could, but it seems they didn't, because the prize was being offered by the local Christian church. They could have done the most brilliant Eid-related piece of work ever, but it wouldn't ever stand a chance of winning a prize because it wouldn't be Christian. How exactly is it ridiculous to think that that is discriminatory and wrong?

Christian run activity in a primary school in a Christian country? Not something I would complain about.

FFS. How does decorating a poster teach children about other faiths? This had absolutely nothing to do with learning about faiths, this was a requirement to profess a belief they don't have.

If this is a Christian country, how come Church of England churches are so empty during the vast majority of their services?

They had to write 'Jesus saved me'. Is that really ok?

This is the most sensible post on here! I myself think ALL religion is made up bollocks but I wouldn't stop my kids from learning or being interested in any religion!

Producing a declaration of faith isn't doesn't help children learn RE..

This school isn't celebrating different festivals, otherwise OP would know about it, and she says she's never come across it despite her child being in P4. The obvious thing to have done would be to set up another competition at more or less the same time about Eid, but it hasn't happened. And how does that help atheists?

Learning about religion is not saying that they will only be given chocolate if the write "Jesus saved me".

Odd how man people don't see the problem because 'they could have entered the competition'. They couldn't have, since the competition presupposed Xian beliefs.

Totally out of order, OP. It would be a service to the school community, and especially the non-Christians, if you took this up, but it sounds like you may encounter some unpleasantness.

If they wanted to win a prize, there was only one choice, and it was a choice that excluded them. This is not at matter of the subject matter not "suiting" them, it was a subject matter that they simply could not get involved in. So they never had any choice at all. I've yet to see any post that explains how that can be acceptable.

The way you've described it, it sounds like a very odd kind of competition. A profession of faith isn't a competition! Is it really that big a deal though Does? Does it really matter that some children couldn't enter? I think it's an important lesson for children that you don't have to be involved in everything - it's OK to opt out.

Easter is Christian. If you're celebrating Easter as a Christian date then it is fair to say it's about something linked to Christianity, being open about all faiths whilst regarding your own is the best way forward. They opened the competition to all. If you didn't want to enter then you can't expect a prize surely?

I went to a full on 'brainwashing' catholic school and everyone entered the annual Easter competition. Our priest judged it, I remember it fondly despite not being Christian! I have learnt about all religions and studied others and don't need to shut out any one even if it could never line up with my beliefs. You shut your own dc off here

World history is based on religion (all religions) ignoring religion is just daft but this scenario is not about that.

This school has allowed one religious group into the school to run a competition that excludes quite a few kids who are primary age. The school has been at fault here for allowing it.