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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think schools shouldn't teach religion as absolute fact?

593 replies

PoesyCherish · 06/08/2018 13:35

DSD is 6 and is learning about Christianity in school. They're teaching her Jesus is the Son of God rather than "some people believe he is". Everything about the religion is taught as fact. They've also failed to mention anything about any other religion.

AIBU to think they shouldn't be teaching it as absolute fact? How are children supposed to be understanding and tolerant of other people's beliefs if they're taught one world view as fact?

OP posts:
LeighaJ · 07/08/2018 09:01

I went to a private Christian school, zero people were surprised or bothered that I was therefore taught about Christianity and as a fact.

Why would anyone be shocked that a private Catholic school did the same?

It doesn't matter why a child is put in a specific private, religious school, sending them there means accepting they will be taught about that specific religion in addition to normal classes. Also why should they teach them about all the different religions equally?

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 09:01

Penggwn, at the moment I have the option but I can easily see not having it in the future. Secondaries around here are nearly all faith schools. Plus as local government’s control of schools continues to be attacked and religion grows stronger there is likely to be yet more nonsense and less choice in the future. Given religion’s historic uses and current trends in our society, I find this genuinely worrying. I still have the opt-out option at the moment for main school RE, but using it makes my child stand out. It is worrying.

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 09:04

Religion is demonstrably not true. Their reliance and elevation of the ‘nobility’ of faith in defiance of the blindingly obvious is not consistent with science anyway - and again, given the role of religion in propping up inequality and misogyny it’s interesting that it should grow in power now.

freshstart24 · 07/08/2018 09:08

I appreciate that the OP may have had a choice regarding sending DC to catholic school.

Some of us had no choice- my DC went to local CofE primary which had a huge emphasis on RE. I had absolutely no choice in this- yet had to go to the local school as allocated by LEA.

As I said earlier, RE was taught intensively, and delivered as fact. That's hours and hours and hours of religious teaching to Christian children, children of other faiths and children of no faith at all. In the case of my DC they left feeling it was folk-law.

I felt it was a shame that so many hours were devoted to this when the school itself claimed that the demands of the corriculum left insufficient time for PE, and lessons realating to the modern world such as social education, discussions about technology, mental health, resilience etc..

There is a general consensus that education needs to change to embrace these things- why not reduce RE at least a bit to make way for these essential lessons.

BoomBoomsCousin · 07/08/2018 09:25

r Pengggwn

What makes no sense? The most local school is a Catholic school. Most local people don’t want to send their children to it and so those that can apply elsewhere. Some of those that apply elsewhere get in. The rest are left with the local school, which cannot be adapted by the LA to suit local parents or made smaller to reflect demand because it is a faith school. So it continues to serve whatever small Catholic population still wants it and the few unlucky others who aren’t allocated a preferable school that they can actually get to. That’s a perfectly normal situation for parents to find themselves in.

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 09:30

BoomBoomsCousin

I'm just not seeing it. A community where people are so reluctant to send their child to the Catholic school that it is undersubscribed, but where the only other option is a long drive away? I am feeling it is more likely that this was a goady post.

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 09:37

A quick google on the matter of choice brings up these. Circumstances may be different, but they demonstrate the reality of choice in schools.

fairadmissions.org.uk/how-religious-selection-in-schools-unfairly-limits-parental-choice-2/

www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2013/04/why-are-children-being-forced-into-faith-schools

“Choice” politics have often been shown to provide no choice at all, particularly for those at the bottom of Britain’s social hierarchy.

LynetteScavo · 07/08/2018 09:42

My D.C. go to a Catholic school and in RE lessons they have always been taught "Catholics believe..." But in every day life of the school (assemblies, etc) it will be said that Jesus is the son of God. Because that is was Catholics believe.
So, yes YABU to think this shouldn't be considered a fact in Catholic schools.

How are children supposed to be understanding and tolerant of other people's beliefs if they're taught one world view as fact? This could be taken as quite offensive by many Christians, Muslims, etc who raise tolerant, respectful D.C. while still teaching them if their faiths beliefs.

ladyvimes · 07/08/2018 09:45

In defence of Catholic schools this isn’t how it should be taught. Our diocese encourages questioning and discussion over all aspects of Catholicism and children are encouraged to make up their own minds. And we definitely teach ‘catholics believe’ rather than ‘this is the truth’!

user1484424013 · 07/08/2018 09:51

If you send your child to a CATHOLIC SCHOOL then they should learn about how jesus is the son of god because to is he is.

Also they will be taught about other faiths as it is part of the curriculum and I find its something catholic schools do very well.

On another note if you CHOOSE to send your child to a CATHOLIC SCHOOL when you are not catholic then basically shut the f**K up.

so many non catholics send children to a Catholic school because simply they are always come out on top. That's a fact and before some mn warriors jump on me it's am catholic I raise my children as catholic baptised within 2 weeks of birth and the whole shebang however I do not force it upon my children however is you were to asking them what christmas is about they will simply reply jesus.

so my advise to you is going to a non catholic school because your post is offensive

lazyhazysummer · 07/08/2018 09:57

Why on earth is it always ok to bash Christian beliefs, but if a muslim came on to talk about their beliefs and what their religion stands for hardly anyone would dare question anything. Islamic beliefs are taught as facts, Catholic schools have the right to do the same.

JacquesHammer · 07/08/2018 09:58

On another note if you CHOOSE to send your child to a CATHOLIC SCHOOL when you are not catholic then basically shut the fK up

Yeah....have you seen the posts from people where there isn’t a choice? Or you have to have the money to educate elsewhere?

so many non catholics send children to a Catholic school because simply they are always come out on top

They don’t.

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 10:04

WrongOnTheInternet

It worries you. Fair enough. It doesn't worry me. Why do your needs and preferences trump mine?

00100001 · 07/08/2018 10:09

OH DEAR GOD!

you send your child to a FAITH BASED school and then get pissy that they teach the fucking faith... EYE ROLL

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 10:09

Ah. “Shut up and go away because I want my religion over reason”. You do realise you’re proving the point, which is that religion and reason are opposed?

00100001 · 07/08/2018 10:09

Just teach something different at home 0 it's not that bloody hard

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 10:13

Reason has brought us improvements to women’s rights, now and in Rome. Reason has brought us medicine. Reason has brought us the ability to understand our impacts on the environment, and could give us the tools to reduce that. What does religion offer, beyond intolerance and burning at the stake?

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 10:18

WrongOnTheInternet

That's not 'the point', it is your point. What if I don't care for the god of Reason?

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 10:23

Well at least that’s honest. I take it you will make no further demands on the knowledge that reason has brought then? No more medicine, no more schools at all - why do you bother? - and a very restricted food supply? Why are you on the internet even, using devices created by reason?

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 10:26

WrongOnTheInternet

I didn't say I have no use for reason. It is very useful. I said I don't worship it as a deity.

WrongOnTheInternet · 07/08/2018 10:33

With the number of people ‘encouraging’ the worship of your gods over reason, and the increasing backing of the state, we’re in danger of losing it. Anyway, things to do, people to see, toodle pip.

echt · 07/08/2018 10:33

I'm not sure WrongOnTheInternet has set up reason as god.

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 10:34

echt

Oh I am. Nothing else is valid, everybody who says anything she deems "irrational" has automatically lost the argument.

Pengggwn · 07/08/2018 10:35

the worship of your gods

Monotheist here. God.

Deadheadstickeronacadillac · 07/08/2018 10:49

Typical useless RE teaching in primary school because the teachers don't understand and refuse to consult with the secondary specialists who are more than willing to help.
We then have to deal with kids who detest RE, but most of the time within one term they realise it isn't an absolute and they really begin to enjoy it.
It is the only subject that has to be taught in some form until age 18 and therefore needs to be taught in a discursive, non absolutist way.
I do apologise but I can't raft as I know it will push my blood pressure up!
I bloody love my subject and am not religious at all, I have taught many students who have also come to love the subject and it still helps them in their careers...actors, lawyers, doctors, midwives, accountants, SAHM etc!