to be upset school taught my 4 year old about the crucifixion

[littlemslazybones]

It's a CoE school, so I knew that this would come up at some point.

But he's 4!! And he is understandably upset and a little confused that someone would be tortured and nailed to a cross. In the bath, he was pointing at the palm of his hand and saying "and mummy, they just hammered it in, right through here".

And if they are going to do it, shouldn't they attempt to do it in an age appropriate way? My son came home with the impression that the crucifixion was some elaborate terrifying naughty corner. He was telling me how, once nailed to the cross, Jesus decided to be good. (Even as an atheist, I'm baulking at the blasphemy). At the very least, they should allow them to ask questions afterwards, right?

I'm dreading what might come today. My Dad died this time last year and I don't want to spend the Easter hols explaining how people can not come back to life. AIBU to ask the school to be more gentle with this stuff?

Read. The. Posts. That. State. Quite. Clearly. That. There. Are. Not. Enough. Of. Them.

YABU

My (just) 5yo DD came back from school (state primary non religious) yesterday telling me all about Jesus being nailed to the cross and I thought nothing at all of it?

you are an absolute idiot

GO ON
DELETE ME

Lesley33. He was a product of his time, really. Everyone was at it. All things considered he was a well educated, open minded, surprisingly fair guy.
Aaaaaaand...1 in every 200 men alive today is descended from him.
You've met at least one of them..... Ghaaaaaahhhhh!

Op, you keep reiterating "it would be kind" . The logical follow on from that is that the whole thing is cruel, (that probably is your opinion, and that's allowed) but your son is the only one deserving of leniency. Do you really expect the teacher to take you seriously?

minouminou if R.E bothered a parent so much they could find one.

Had heard about the 1 in 200 men alive statistic. Would read morea bout Genghis Khan if I wasn't too afraid of reading more horrors - because to be fair I always suspected my history teaching at school was a little biased. Went to Scottish primary where I learned about how the bad English Queen Elizabeth and her followers persecuted poor Mary Queen of Scots. Even at 8 I suspected this might not be the full story.

Good point, Flogging. However, op may mean kind under the circs that she and here family are in now. It is a tough one, and if op knows that her DS will become upset and may ask QS that will lead to greater upset.....well she's the One dealing with it at bedtime.

YANBU I think the crucifixion can be explained without going into detail, there are lots of baby/children's bibles that do manage to portray the crucifixion in a sensitive manner.

I personally wouldn't want someone to tell my child about someone's murder at the age of four, faith school or not.

There are no secular schools in this country. Check the law.

DS1 (who has ASD and therefore is a little bit literal) has just done the Easter story, presented as literal truth by an idiot student teacher. He is very discombobulated. Oh, and very concerned that I don't believe in Jesus, because only people who do are good people.

I hit the fucking roof.

Head teacher just quoted the law at me, and of course, she has that on her side.

My choices are removing them from Assembly and coming in to school to provide alternative activities, also during class religious time. OR sucking it up and trying to undo the damage at home. Or just letting it happen.

My children are withdrawn from the part of RE that is religious instruction (the RC children are prepared for the sacraments, the Protestant children given bible instruction, the heathens learn about sex and drugs and rock and roll.) But it permeates the whole curriculum. IT IS NOT A CHURCH SCHOOL. It's Integrated.

It interests me greatly that if I were to tell my children, as fact, that there is no god and that religion is bunkum, I would be accused of brainwashing/ denying them choice. But a TEACHER can tell them the opposite, and be backed up by the school and in law. Indoctrination is alive and well.

I sent my son to a church school but I had no other choice as it was the closest LA school and the other options further out were all CofE schools too! Life isn't as simple as some of you deem it to be

I am sorry about your Dad littlemslazybones, my sister died at Easter too and I always find it hard. Look after yourself

Garlic.....in many areas of the country that is simply not possible. Unless you go private or are prepared to travel a long distance.
I also don't get the impression that RE is bothering the op that much, just the execution and resurrection issue.

Lequeen....that's priceless!

PMSL at LeQueen Santa nailed to a cross, in a holy way of course!

Did they nail a stocking next to him as well?

Which is why I wouldn't send my child to a religious school.

Sorry to break it to you, but all schools are religious schools. I'm surprised how little has changed in the last 30 years, but in DDs state, non-denominational school they are still taught about God as if it's fact, still say prayers and have religious assemblies.

But I agree with the OP, YANBU. It's not unreasonable to learn about the crucifixion but should be in an age appropriate way.

My son still bawls his eyes out when we talk about my Dad. He has a thousand and one questions about death. After a year, he has some peace with it and I think he will struggle to process the Resurrection because, despite what other people have said, he will extrapolate this information and come to upsetting conclusions.

This inaccurate leap might be because I haven't taken enough time to talk about God and Jesus . But that's not his fault. That's mine. And I need some time to bring him up to speed before this lands on him.

Sorry to hear that. The only way I can think of is to tell him that all this happened a long time ago before people really understood biology. That might not work for your DS, but only you can judge that.

YANBU!!

When DS was in reception they showed a film (not cartoon but actual people) about it........he saw Jesus nailed to the cross and it really upset him and gave him a real fear of death, he was very unsettled for quite a while. I know of course they are going to learn about this but personally I thought 4 was far too young to be showing such a graphic scene!

Thanks minouminou. I'm hoping (unreasonably?) that he's sat reading about Pip's Pizza instead.

Your dc goes to a Christian faith school and you didn't expect them to talk about a fundamental part of the church's most important festival? Really?

Also ime, kids love all the gory stuff.

if your son is as unhappy as that [for a year,since he was 3] it's obviously not because of recently getting Ressurection at school.......but if lesson was as you say, it was Totally Inappropriate for a 4 yr-old's class: I'm Shocked in fact at how many other people's kids have apparently had this.....not like my experience of faith schools at all

Demi....op's son is getting better, but she's worried that the lesson might give him false hope of his GF coming back to life.

I'm not suggesting that the Resurrection has caused my son to be unhappy about my Dad's death! He hasn't got a clue about the Resurrection. He my be taught the Resurrection today, which, I imagine, he will struggle to understand given that he is only just coming to terms with my Dad's death, after grieving for a year.