to be pissed off at school for telling DD (5) about Baby Jesus?

[Kalemu]

We don't want religion anywhere near our house, one of the main reasons we chose to send our DD to state school instead of a CoFE school. Imagine my surprise when she came home with a Baby Jesus picture book and singing about the Baby King. This makes me very mad - it's not like we want to keep her in a bubble, but I wanted to have told her the different religion when she was a bit older.

Thinking of writing to the headteacher to let him know our thoughts, and to demand that we're informed next time they plan to talk about religious stuff in class. Do you think AIBU?

Of course gordy.

It's not that it's not Christian, it's not just christian.

That's the view we take.

I happily tell my kids about christ, I love a good nativity.

I resent other people saying you shouldn't celebrate it if you aren't christian, happens a lot here

My goodness. What an overreaction OP. Oh course the school will be 'doing' Christmas at the moment. I feel so sorry for your child.

I am not religious in the slightest but if I had a child I would ensure I would be putting my own feelings aside so they could enjoy a day that can be so magical when you are young. YABU.

One of DD's lines in the Christmas concert was about how she loved going to church with all the family on Christmas Day. She has also been chosen to give a reading in the school church service tomorrow.

I am an athiest, she is an athiest, rest of family undecided/edging towards atheism.

We are all amused by DD's participation. The friends who know about her non-belief are also amused.

She is enjoying taking part. She will not be contaminated by religion. Neither will I when I attend the service, and neither will your DD.

YABU. Loosen your knicker elastic.

If you feel so strongly about this OP, surely you would have informed the school before? Especially since it's blindingly obvious that it's going to be talked about unless you live in a bubble.

Did you celebrate Christmas as a child? Do you think your child will thank you for the stance you've taken, or do you think she'll grow up feeling she missed out on something other people find really special? And I don't mean the religion/presents particularly, just the overall excitement and togetherness.

If you're that bothered about it then why didn't you pre-empt your DD starting school with a discussion on what they might learn about religion? Or speak to the head about what they might cover so this didn't come as a shock? Because as we've pointed out, all state schools teach about religion in some way. It's like sending your vegetarian DC to a party but not telling the hosts and then getting cross they've been served a hamburger.

It's all very well saying "well I don't want my child exposed to this", but ultimately we live in a society that takes much of its traditions and values (good and bad) from Christianity. I'd rather why kids knew why we did certain things and developed a sense of being able to question why than be sheltered from it altogether.

All state schools MUST provide a broadly christian ethos so if you are that anti religion I suggest you do your research a little better.

Anyway religion exists, I encourage my children to find out about it. Much of our culture, our expressions etc are rooted in Christianity. It is possible to explore the religion and the reasons for the celebrations without stating it as fact. My ds1 goes to a Catholic school yet this term he has also found out all about Judaism and at home we have talked about Yule.

I take it your child doesn't watch any TV?

Are you going to disown her if she ever decides to follow a religion then?

My mother was very anti-religion too.

I'm now a Catholic

YABU and a little bit of a knob tbh, sorry. Christianity is something that kids in this country will learn about in school, it's part of our culture. You don't have to believe it for it to be a relevant subject for your child to know a bit about.

I did laugh at Tigga's post.

Bitrudebutveryfunnyhahaxx

yasssssbu.

DC go to CoE school and they come home signing songs in mandarin about Chinese New Year and ask me to tell them the story of Vishnu and sing Hare Krishna...

It's part of the curriculum, part of school, part of growing up and part of being a balanced adult to be educated in most larger religions.

I think you need to get out more.

If you think you can "demand" anything of the school I think you would be better off home educating, seriously - have you not heard of asking? As it is its all a bit of anon event really if you told your kids that its just a story that some people believe and you dont.

But my initial reaction was like WTF!!! ...

You were blind-sided by the fact that a school mentioned Jesus at Christmas?

Really??

What did you expect them to be doing at Christmas time?

Mhmm, what a measured and sensitive response.

But please tell me more about religion in state schools, I had no idea about this, had assumed they would be religion-free.

Schools put way more emphasis on Christianity than on the other religions. It is not just about educating children on world religions. I don't agree that this is a "Christian country". Only a tiny minority attend church, for instance.
But think about all those whose children go to C of E schools because that is their local school (not many Christian children at C of E schools either). Those schools certainly don't talk about Christianity as something some people believe - the children are taught Christian stories and doctrines constantly, as straight facts. Frequent religious assemblies and prayer sessions, altars in every classroom, children tempted to Christian evangelical lunch club by offer of sweets (otherwise banned by the school).

Kalemu

I get where you're coming from. I've brought my DS up without religion, as far as I'm able, and I don't particularly want other peoples religious beliefs presented as facts.

BUT - pick your battles, I think. It's good that your little girl is learning ABOUT religion. She can't properly understand British History, culture & literature without knowing something about Christianity.

Hopefully, when Eid comes around, or the Festival of Lights, she'll come home full of stories about them too. Celebrations are fun for children and most of our celebrations at the moment are either religious in origin or something to do with the fecking Royals!

Talk to the school & find out what their approach is. Every RE teacher my son has ever had has been an atheist, so it's not like there are indoctrination attempts going on.

Time for the "Some people believe....." chat :)

YABU if you live in England then the religion of England is Christianity, I'm pretty sure that most schools (apart from schools of a different religion) teach about baby Jesus, most of them even do a nativity play.
I think you're being a little niave to think that your dd can go through her childhood without somebody telling her the story of baby Jesus. A lot of nurseries and schools educate children about all different religions and I think that in this multi cultural society that it is important for children to understand about different religions.
After all the story of baby Jesus is just that...a story. And that's coming from a Christian.
I didn't go to a CofE school but we were still taught about Christmas but my mum would just tell me the true events. I still enjoyed learning about baby Jesus but every now and again I would pipe up with ''actually that's not true, Christmas is a pagan celebration of the passing of the shortest day, people have been having celebrations around christmas since before Jesus was apparently born blah blah'' gosh the teachers must have hated me!!

I have a little rhyme about assuming making an ass out of you and me, but I won't bore you with it.

If you feel that strongly about it why didn't you look into this? Really?!

You are not being unreasonable, you are being absurd.

How very dare your child's school try and educate your child about an important part of Christianity at a relevant time of year.

If your child asked why everyone else celebrates Christmas, would it be wrong to tell the "story" behind it, whilst saying it's not what your family believe.

I also think it's wrong to not allow children to form their own views on spirituality.

Your extreme atheism is as ridiculous as extreme religion

Stop being so abusvie LaCiccolina

What's the matter with you.

YABU.

As others have said, state schools are required to teach kids about religion, and it's entirely reasonable for them to talk about Christianity around major Christian festivals, just like it'd be reasonable for them to talk about Islam, Judaism, Hinduism etc around their major religious festivals.