to not want this woman teaching my DD?

[NigelYerABawbag]

I volunteer for a national charity - I won't name it, but the work is with vulnerable/struggling families with young children. There's a 10 week training course before you can volunteer.

On my training course, there was a woman with some fairly bigoted and offensive views. For example, she said she had a problem with gay couples being able to adopt "because of the risk the children might be interfered with" and that domestic violence was often provoked by women so that they could use it in court to stop fathers seeing their children

My 10yo told me recently a new teacher had been coming once a week to do Bible lessons (DS is at a small village CofE school). I saw this woman in town a few days ago and it turns out she is the teacher, which makes me feel quite uneasy tbh.

WWYD?

"oh fgs reallytired. No I didnt choose it. We live in the countryside. There is.nothing but church schools for.miles!"

Well take her out the classes. If you have been forced to use the C of E school then you have legal right to remove her from bible classes.

Just bare in mind that you can't pick and choose. You won't be able to put her back into RE lessons/ church services/ assemblies at a whim. There is a difference between objecting to religous teaching and objecting to a particular person.

Prehaps you should ask the class teacher how many classes are going to be taken by this woman. It may well be that she in the school for other reasons. Prehaps she is running an extra curricular club in something not bible related or is a govenor or works for county admin.

Often what ten year olds tell their mothers is a misunderstanding. Do you really believe that the school would want to inflict a nutter on the children. When there is an outside speaker a teacher or a TA is required to stay in the room as an insurance requirement.

On the other hand, many children in the uk have been educated in church schools, and probably been taught in bible classes by just such people as this - and compare and contrast us with America on issues such as gay marriage.

I think a little religious nuttiness in primary is great for encouraging secularism in later life.

Not saying all church schools nutty by the way. Just of the opinion that this kind of religious education tends to discourage church going.

Huh?

This hasn't been told to me by my 10yo. Well, she did say there was a new RE teacher coming once a week, but that was all. I heard the woman say offensive nasty bigoted things myself with my own ears. I saw the woman in town and she said "Oh hello, you know your DD looks just like you doesn't she, what lovely hair she's got". I gave her the face, not knowing what she was on about because DD wasn't with me at the time and I didn't know they'd ever met, and she told me she was teaching her.

So there's no misunderstanding.

This woman's views certainly don't represent mainstream C of E teachings! Hopefully she'll keep her odd views to herself but I'd still want to have a word with the head about your concerns.

I am imagining this woman as a cross between Christine Hamilton and Anne widicombe (sp?) although they are probably more broad minded now what with being media types.

The gay adopting thing is unlikely to come up in bible class, same with homosexuals = paedophiles but I guess you could check to put your mind at rest? Maybe a chat with her or head about what is covered in class and how directive it is.

merrymouse she's nothing like either.

Is it acceptable to speak to the head though, considering where I know this from? Pretty sure there was some kind of confidentiality agreement about what we shared in the training.

I think I know which training scheme it is, and if its the same one, then we all agreed what was said in the room was confidential.

However I can see why you are concerned, and I am surprised with views like that they let her on the scheme, but that's just my opinion. How about having a word with your coordinator about what to do? I wouldn't suggest speaking to school before you do that, as it would be a shame to put yourself in a compromising position on the scheme.

I wouldn't want my children taught by someone like her though, so I don't think you are being unreasonable, you just need to be careful how you approach it.

I hope that makes sense! I think I am talking about the same scheme!

LittleMiss - yes almost certainly, and I have to speak to co-ordinator this week anyway so may mention it then. I didn't think she should have been let loose on vulnerable families either but clearly the people in charge decided it wasn't a problem

She thinks homosexuality is linked to paedophilia FFS!

I've never got this. Where the f** does that that viewpoint even come from? Recently heard it for the first time, and I was like
How do you even link the two?! There's some weird thinking out there!
As for the OP, if her views are kept separate from her teachings, then she's done nothing wrong.
People are allowed to have opinions, whether we agree with them or not. If she doesn't push them onto other people, and it doesn't affect her teaching, there's not a lot you can do about it as she hasn't done anything.

MerryMouse is right. I remember a religious ed teacher telling the class when I was about 10 that Christian women didn't shave their legs and always wore skirts. At the time I was like, WTF!?, and I have remained firmly atheist ever since. She pretty much single-handedly put me off Christianity!

IMO you should opt him out and find a new bible club if you really want him to go. As a Christian, it bothers me to think that someone with such bigoted views is teaching bible stories to youngish children, because her views are not compatable with the teachings of the bible as they're not looking at the texts from the right same angle

Makes me and :( thinking about the audacity of it all.

Its not an optional Bible club. Its RE as taught in the state school my children attend!

Another line of attack... lessons should either be taught by a teacher, student teacher or a higher level teaching assistant. You could ask the teacher which category this woman falls into.

Unless your child's school is an academy then by law the school should be using a qualified teacher or a higher level teaching assistant with the planning done by a teacher.

It is not the same as a one off speaker as this woman is teaching the children every week. Making a fuss about the woman's lack of teaching qualifications may well be a way of getting your daughter out of the lessons without breaking confidentiality or withdrawing her from assemblies, the school play etc.

Oh, I didn't know that, thanks for the info - I've no idea if she is a qualified teacher or not though she never mentioned being one. I'm just a little hesitant to make a fuss about her personally due to the circumstances surrounding my knowledge of her opinions, iyswim.

As to what goes on in the lessons - apparently she reads a story from the New Testament and then they talk about what it means - so not impossible that her own views would come to light during the lessons though of course if she is a professional then she will keep them to herself. I am now going to be quizzing DD on the lessons and at the first sniff of any bigotry or prejudice I will be taking action.

You could always write to the head if it really bothers you. I'm sure they'd be able to talk to her (should problems arise) without mentioning your name.