My 5 year old niece was told to go home and pray

[freyjasauntie]

I am really upset that my 5 year old niece was told by her school teacher to go home and pray at bedtime. Although she goes to a C of E school, this is due to logistics of living in the country, and the school are aware that she is being raised atheist, (she was enrolled as such) with a view to letting her decide her own path when she is ready to understand what that entails.

If a Muslim teacher had told her girls to go home and wear hijab, there would be uproar, but it seems to be accepted that schools can promote Christian ideology. I have no problems with my niece being taught about Jesus, about being kind to each other, about truth telling and other so called Christian Values (which can be found in almost any religion) but I strongly object to her being told to give up something for Lent (she had no idea why she should do so), and to pray at bedtime.

Religious Education should be EDUCATION, as a qualified RE teacher, I have always presented all world religious as equally valuable, but there is a real difference between education and what I believe is insidious indoctrination.

I find that Hindu DCs etc don't have a problem and they enjoy being asked what they do. Has the parent in OP even bothered going in and telling them that although DC is there, they don't agree with it? A teacher would know that a practising Muslim isn't going to pray at night to a Christian God. How is the teacher supposed to guess- if not told? By default they will be assumed Christian if at a faith school.

If the school isn't low key faith it will be obvious-usually as soon as you step through the front door. It is very clear.

As far as I am aware, prayer is a major part of most religions, not just Christianity, so suggestion that your dn prays, is actually quite inclusive is it not?

Bottom line is that as a CofE school, this should not exactly be a surprise. If I had to send my dc to a school not of my faith, or a non-faith school I would expect to be discussing differences in opinion regarding faith pretty regularly. In fact, even though my children do attend a faith school, we have regular discussions about other people's beliefs.

I'll ask, third time
Was the instruction given JUST to your niece, or to a class as a whole?

'One of the reasons I am so bothered by this is because she is being told things as FACT, when they are merely personal religious beliefs. Facts to do with religious studies are what people do and why they do it, not subjective rituals.'

Ah now, come on -- this is completely U of you.

The school is run by a large multinational organisation that is religious in nature. They have not done any baiting and switching here. They are not guilty of false advertising. It is a 'Church of England' school, not a 'personal religious belief' school.

What bit of 'Church of England School' do you not get?

I actually think it a good thing as it gives opening for discussions at home.

I have sympathy for those who go to a community school and are under the impression that it is secular, having no understanding that all English state schools are broadly Christian-however I can't really have any for someone who sends their DC to a C of E school and doesn't like the Cof E and then expects them to change because they had no choice!
If they have no choice they need to send and opt out of the faith part.

In the prospectus you will find that the Christian ethos is absolutely central-it isn't something tucked away!

"I mean, I know we choose to live in Muslim country and we were quite aware of the practices and culture but really they should have shut up and even considered stopping all religious activity to suit us. How dare they!"

Oh, that is such a stupid thing to say - and I find it so depressing that discussions on this subject always descend to such a level. Once more, for the hard of thinking. NOBODY is saying that Christian families should not worship as they wish. Nobody is saying that children at school should not be taught about Christianity - and about all other faiths too. HOWEVER, to tell a child, whose parents presumably ticked the "no religion' box on the school application form that she was to pray at home strikes me as being, at the very least bad mannered and insensitive.

The real issue here is that for many rural communities the CofE primary is the ONLY state funded option that is provided. Round our way there is nothing else for miles around. If you are not CofE, you are expected to lump it. IMO, faith schools should be available as an option, with the educational authority made to provide equal educational options for non CofE children.

Im trying to show you how stupid what you are saying is, becuase it reads no differenty I am afraid!

And the hard of thinking, well that would be you! A huge number of posters have said "its a faith school" to you over and over and over...

Yet its still not sinking in is it?!

cocflower, there are several points that you also have failed to take on board during this discussion. Don't be so rude to people.

Ahh with all those imaginary ffs of course!

But a lot of C of E schools ARE 'normal with a bit of God bothering bolted on'! (Especially if they are undersubscribed). And the community school down the road could have prayers before every lesson and teachers telling you you will go to hell if you don't behave. That's the trouble with primary ed in this country - you can't tell. A new HT, a new ethos. It's crap. A secular option is a necessity.

By being sarcastic, saying 'tsk' to people, by being impatient and now by telling people that what they are saying is 'stupid'. It's rude.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of the 'discussion'.

So its ok for the other poster to use the word "stupid" and "hard of thinking"

How convienant to ignore that!

And relax- tsk is a joke about the audacity of homework

I'm with GiddyPickle. Some are so low key that you wouldn't notice-others you will see a large cross inside the front door with mission statement, prayers etc. You know before you go.
I doubt very much that the DC was told to pray at bedtime-I think several words were missed out of the sentence. I also doubt whether the majority of the class even got the message home.

If the school is very, very faith school I doubt they could take it out-they probably pray at govenor's meetings asking for help to make the best decisions.It is central-not an extra.

paraphrasing here "I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing, I'm praying to a god that I don't believe in...."

Regardless of how you put it or what faith you do or don't believe in, praying serves a purpose. It shares the burden of problems and allows you to sort confusing thoughts in your head. Who that is directed to can be chosen by the individual.

I am confused, she was told to pray, was she told who to pray to? In what context was the request made? I pray, I went to a C of E lead school, but I pray that bad things will not continue to happen and that my babies and husband will not suffer pain. I know that in reality what will be will be but it helps.

I did not pray in church at my FILs funeral because he did suffer and no amount of praying would have stopped it but it helps some people I suppose.

This isn't the fault of the school, they are providing education, support and guidance as per the instruction of the PTA and governors. If you have a problem with this, speak to your brother or sister who may tell you to MYOB.