to think this is just not on? (schools, religion and bribery!)

[EXmrsmascarahead]

my son has come home from school today, they held a Jubilee party and all the children got to join in the celebrations, all well and good.

He has just handed over a book to me, 'New testament, to celebrate the queen's diamond jubilee 2012'. Not a lot wrong with that, I suppose, but he has also told me that in order to get the children to take a copy they have been using bribery, 'you can have a cake only if you take a book'.

none of this sits right with me, I know the queen is head of the church of england but not all the children this is handed out to are CofE, religious or celebrating the jubilee. And in order for them to get the children to take the book they have to bribe them. AIBU?

FFS, the not he and presumably.

That's the point i was trying to make MrsTerry, maybe not very well.

But if schools made a policy of never giving out any "religious" books then they're assuming an atheist stance.
If nothing else, the New Testament is a great piece of literature.

We got this book too!

My son bought it home without bribery (to an athiest household) because he liked the pictures in the front.

Mountain, meet molehill.

What a waste of paper. At least in the old days people used to take the gideons ones so they could use them to roll their own cigarettes with.

The religious right will try to hijack anything to make it about them then claim to be the victims in a war against their beliefs.

No doubt in 6 months the evangelicals will say that a quarter of an extra quarter of a million in the country believe in their sky fairy. Just chuck it in the recycling bin or send kid back to school with it tomorrow with two fairy cakes for teacher if she takes it back again.

In the 16 years of sending my children to school there has never been a time when they have been sent home with 'religious' books that haven't been connected to a subject they are studying.

And from what I can tell from a quick flick, this is not a copy that is aimed at children, it might be a great piece of literature but I can't see many children trawling through it

Hijack?! Really?
The Queen is the head of the Church of England.
Really saddened by the venom and intolerance of some posters...

Isn't the idea that it is a gift to commemorate the jubilee? And they can read it or use it to refer to in years to come?

Non-religious school? Are you sure? Just because it doesn't have CofE in the name doesn't mean it isn't 'broadly Christian', and you can't get more broadly Christian than the new testament.

who cares? ...really.... ?

btw, mine got a mug each.

Looks alot like the one I got in 1977.

That never got used either. I still liked that i got it.

Now a mug is a lot better, I can use that.

It's a Jubilee souvenir. They were given a cake simultaneously. What exactly is your problem? Keep it till winter and use it for lighting the fire if it bothers you that much, ffs!

Thank you for flying CoE cake or death!

I understand that many of you have deeply held religious feelings and beliefs. I respect YOU because YOU are a human being worthy of respect and love and tolerance. I do not respect your faith any more than I respect people who believe in faeries (and yes, some people do), dragons or other mythical beasts. Because I think you are wrong. That doesn't mean I wouldn't go to the barricades for your right to worship. Just don't give my kid your crap.

Hawkmoon, of course I would not advocate walking into someone's church and resting your piece of cake on their bible. That would be disrespectful.

But if someone gives me flyer for something I have no interest in, I am no obligation to be respectful towards it, no matter how deeply that person feels about the words it contains.

It would be more respectful to the bible, and to the children they are being offered them to ask them 'would you like a bible?' to which they could answer 'yes please', 'no thanks we already have one at home', or 'no thanks i'm not interested'...

I think schools should have a general policy of not acting as cheap/free distribution services for third parties - whether political, religious or commercial to market themselves to pupils. Schools should only hand stuff out when the school has decided that this is something that is in the pupil's interest not because McDonalds or the Church of England asks them to.

I've said it lots of times, and I'll say it again.
Religion should not be in schools, ever.
Cake should.

"Religion should not be in schools, ever."

I can understand that, I mean how do to teach someone how to believe?

I do like that they are taught about faiths of all different types as this helps with tolerance. My issue with my DS's school is with Christianity they teach it as "This is the truth" have Christian prayers etc. Where as with the other religions it is "some people believe".

I'd like to think he made his own mind up. I'm not exactly sure he's done that.

I wouldn't get my knickers in a twist over tbh.

Question for the religious posters here:

How would you feel if every school child in Britain received a copy of The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins? (and had to take it in order to get cake)

[Shock] Beardy! Love the namechange :o

So you think children should also be made aware of atheism at a young age thorough school in the same vein as religion? I ask as an atheist parent with a child who has faith so no hidden agenda.