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Original poster

Only Christian kids given a prize

376 replies

IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 15:56

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.

OP posts:
Original poster
IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:42

I don’t want to punish the school. I would like them to recognise that they are not being inclusive in their approach. I would also like them to think critically about what they let the church do in class time.

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 21/04/2023 16:42

It's threads like this that really frustrate me. All the "we live in a Christian country" "It's important for kids to understand about Christianity" "A little bit of Christianity won't do any harm" "Christianity is the only faith that can be discriminated against in the UK" all the while deliberately deliberately misinterpreting the OP's point.

CurlewKate · 21/04/2023 16:44

@MrsRinaDecker schools in England and Wales are not secular either, sadly. Some are non denominational, which is not the same thing at all.

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Original poster
IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:44

That’s interesting about schools in Scotland although the school describes itself as “non-denominational” in its own handbook.

OP posts:
moonspiral · 21/04/2023 16:44

IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 15:59

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.

This sounds awful and I would consider seeking legal advice and not discussing it widely in case you take it to court

moonspiral · 21/04/2023 16:45

MrsRinaDecker · 21/04/2023 16:36

I’m a practicing Christian and even I don’t think this is ok.

  1. Because it excludes children of other faiths and none.
  2. Because a profession of faith is a solemn religious act, between a believer and God, in the presence of their church family (and, I should add, varies hugely even between Christian denominations), not a matter for a competition. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for you to raise this with the school.

I agree with both points

LumpySpaceGoddess · 21/04/2023 16:45

If it’s just an ordinary secular state school then I’d be highly peeved at them doing a faith based competition

Toddlerteaplease · 21/04/2023 16:47

How can they get a prize for something they didn't enter? It's a life lesson. You can't win everything.

carriedout · 21/04/2023 16:48

I'd be pretty fuming about it, sounds a disgraceful exclusionary activity.

No child shoould have to profess their faith to get a prize and professing your faith should not earn you a prize. They do have to learn about faith but that is entirely different.

It is like something from the 1970s.

OP - YANBU and I am pretty Angry this shite is still happening to make non-Christians feel excluded.

steppemum · 21/04/2023 16:50

You may want to check exactly what the school is.

In my experience pretty much every single village school in England is actually a CofE primary. Looks like a village school, funded my council, but in constitution they are a CofE (Church of England) primary school.

I am a Christian, but I do understand your problem OP.
This was an Easter competition, fair enough, but the only way to enter was by writing/saying something that is problematic for non Christians.

I do not have a problem with school teaching about faith, but I think they should teach about all faiths from the persepctive of 'Muslims believe', 'Christians believe' etc.
I would expect the school to teach about Ramadan and Eid as well as Easter. Doesn't matter how many muslim kids are in the school or not, in fact it is arguably MORE important to teach in an area where there is less diversity. Those kids are going to encounter the rest of the country at some point.

The competition was for Easter. Some parents may decide that on principle they do not want to join a competition focussed on a religious festival, fair enough. But to help all to be included and promote positive diversity it would have been much better to have a competition which allowed all kids to enter. Some could then have drawn Jesus Lives and some could have drawn Easter eggs. Not difficult really.

carriedout · 21/04/2023 16:50

moonspiral · 21/04/2023 16:44

This sounds awful and I would consider seeking legal advice and not discussing it widely in case you take it to court

Show quote history

I was wondering about challenging it legally as it really is dreadful.

All the simple responses on here saying it is OK make me despair a bit.

Original poster
IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:52

@steppemum it is definitely not a faith school. There actually aren’t any faith schools in the area where we live. Although there are close links with a local church.

OP posts:
carriedout · 21/04/2023 16:52

MrsRinaDecker · 21/04/2023 16:36

I’m a practicing Christian and even I don’t think this is ok.

  1. Because it excludes children of other faiths and none.
  2. Because a profession of faith is a solemn religious act, between a believer and God, in the presence of their church family (and, I should add, varies hugely even between Christian denominations), not a matter for a competition. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for you to raise this with the school.

These two points would make an excellent basis for the OP to complain.

It is a disgrace the profession of faith was so trivialised!

7Worfs · 21/04/2023 16:54

That was a bit of a drip feed re in school during lesson time.

Maybe come from a point where they should have a second option, e.g. in this past instance they should have given optional wording like Happy Easter that doesn’t require a particular personal faith.

gulz · 21/04/2023 16:54

Yes, anything like "God is great", "He is Risen" etc – YANBU. Today is a Muslim holiday in my country (I'm from an officially multiracial country, where every race/religion is honoured by law) but getting all the kids to colour in Allah Akbar (Allah is great) would be a step too far. "Happy (occasion name)" is good enough for multiracial / religious art events.

gulz · 21/04/2023 16:54

Today is a bank holiday I mean due to the Muslim celebrations

steppemum · 21/04/2023 16:54

IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:52

@steppemum it is definitely not a faith school. There actually aren’t any faith schools in the area where we live. Although there are close links with a local church.

sorry, after I posted I noticed that I had missed that you were in Scotland

Original poster
IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:56

Thanks everyone, that was helpful to work through my thoughts. I am going to contact the Head about it and explain why I feel it is exclusionary.

OP posts:
Hobbi · 21/04/2023 16:56

Toddlerteaplease · 21/04/2023 16:47

How can they get a prize for something they didn't enter? It's a life lesson. You can't win everything.

The 'life lesson' appears to be, if you're not Christian, you aren't included in our community. Is that what you meant?

Andanotherone01 · 21/04/2023 16:58

Of course it is ok. Do you understand what a competition is and that there is a bit of effort required?

PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog · 21/04/2023 16:58

@IDontWantRealism I'm Jewish and I think you are being ridiculous. The contest was about showing faith over Easter. Perhaps the Non Christian DCs could have done something about a faith practice with a similar place in the calendar -- Pesach, Eid, Hanuman Jayanti or Hanuman Janam-Utsav.

ChenilleTeal · 21/04/2023 16:58

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NotPennysBoat · 21/04/2023 16:58

My kids school did something similar, they had to colour in a poster that said "He Is Risen". These were then displayed in the local church for Easter. We're atheists but they like colouring so... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Snaaaaacks · 21/04/2023 16:59

It was Easter and you are in a Christian country (assuming you are in England), I'm sure if you lived in a Jewish or Muslim country they would do similar for their religious festivals too. There was nothing stopping your children entering if it was merely decorating a poster, it's not like they were asking you to convert to participate. I remember in school learning about other religions and doing activities related and I went to a Catholic school. There's nothing stopping your children learning about other faiths and getting a prize for their efforts.

Original poster
IDontWantRealism · 21/04/2023 16:59

Well that took a turn! It would be a bit of a rubbish Jackanory story.

OP posts:
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