To email school AGAIN re religious assemblies

[pineapplepenthouse]

I have twins in year 4 both in different classes. I have expressed my feelings about not letting them be involved in religious assemblies or having anything to do with religion. My children are in different classes. Today for the third time my DDs has come home saying he has been included in the religious assembly.
I have strong feelings on this but other mums just say 'it's not a big deal' and 'it didn't do us any harm'.

AIBU?

@Confusedbeetle, there's no indication that OP's children are in the least embarrassed. They're probably delighted to miss this ridiculous event, and they equally probably are not the only ones that are withdrawn.

You’re so massively out of touch with what goes on in a non-dom secondary RE class Janedoe No real reason why you should be up on it but I do teach students to understand before criticising. I wasn’t joking about the influence I (hope) I have, you just misunderstand what that means - it’s not an influence to make them believe in a religion it’s an influence to make them think critically, be tolerant when they can, care about other people and feel confident in standing up for rights, both theirs and others.
RE (under its various names) is not only compulsory in Scotland but is a legal requirement - parents can choose to withdraw but very few do and the ones who do are usually from a religious background where they aren’t comfortable learning about other beliefs.

Sorry OP, in your original post you said ‘I have expressed my feelings about not letting them be involved in religious assemblies or having anything to do with religion which obviously WOULD include RS, I missed the later post where you said they do go to RS lessons.

I stand by everything I said about contacting the school again, if you have asked for them to be withdrawn then they should honour that. I also stand by everything I said about RS, even if it doesn’t refer to your dc!

No, so long as you don’t observe holidays at Christmas or Easter, nothing wrong with being ignorant to 1800 years of history I guess.

I have this same grievance with my daughters’ school. It is a non-faith school but still have assemblies centred around Christianity?!! Why?? There is a minister that comes into the school regularly to take assemblies. In what way is that ‘non-faith’ This is not teaching about religion (which I have NO issue with) because if it was they would have representitives from the other world faiths too! I was brought up in a very religious house (my dad is a minister) so I know the damage that indoctrination can cause and I firmly believe that there is no place for it in our schools.

Don’t send then to school if you don’t want them to be exposed to any religious talk. There are children and teachers of all different faiths and atheists in school so if it’s not in assembly it might be in the playground, lunchtime or any other unstructured time in school. What about later on in their education? Are you going to follow them around making sure they don’t hear about god? WTAF

Do you think it is incompetence or conspiracy on their part? It's normally safer to assume incompetence, in which case you will just have to remind the school a few more times. Might be best to do that in writing too.

Firstly all daily assemblies have to be of a Christian nature. To withdraw them from these assemblies you need to write a formal letter to the headteacher that you wish to withdraw them from religious education. You cannot cherry pick. It would exclude them from christmas and Easter celebrations as well as all other faiths taught. Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. Is this what you want? If so get writing the formal letter.

You have a right to withdraw them from acts of worship such as religious assemblies and you should bring it to the headteachers attention if your request is not being honoured. You also have a right to with from RE lessons but you are required to supply alternative work.

Sounds like in this case it's teacher thinking their opinion over-ruled OP's. It doesn't. So I think OP needs to raise it via the complaints procedure so that the teacher will get officially told that OP does have the right to withdraw. And if they keep pushing it ultimately they will get in trouble, but hopefully all it will take is HT saying no they do have this right please go along with it, as it's really no skin off teacher's nose for child to go and sit with their sibling.

Tolerance comes with knowledge

sima, hearing about religion is not the same as being told it as fact (as opposed to facts about what others believe) by an authority figure and required to participate in it. OP has repeatedly said hearing about religion is fine and good.

What do the children want? Do they want to be excluded from nativity plays, easter egg hunts etc?

My husband's parents were atheists. My husband has spent a lot of his life trying out different religious beliefs to find out what he missed and is obsessed with religion. I dislike religion but believe in moral decisions. I've let my children take part in understanding religion and hope they will make up thieir own minds.

Do they teach about religions or are they participating in religious practices.If its teaching about religions I personally dont find this an issue as it is just giving information not preaching

My mother was ADAMANT about no religion in school. I hold strong religious beliefs.
I'll probably have to change my name after saying this but is this only Christianity that you're unhappy about?

Religion is still a large part of our lives. No matter what you believe, western civilization was based on it. They're/we're still fighting wars bc of it.

Christianity is losing support but others are still very strong. You can't escape religious influence in the world today even if you're an atheist.

Information is important. My mother read other religions and debated any evangelical who came to her door. They usually left quickly.

Frankly, my opinion is mine. Based on deep reflection and information that i sought on my own.

I taught my children about 7 deadly sins and 10 commandments bc those are basic common good things to live by.

We lived in a very religious area for a time. I told my children what i was taught: "take everything with a grain of salt."

Listen politely and decide for yourself. You may find that keeping your dc from religious studies is similar to parents refusing to give dc sugar or video games; they will want to find out about it more.

Parents have more influence early and less as they grow older. Let them learn now, discuss ....and refute.

2 things - 1. assemblies do not have to be about religion/worship. Many schools use it for PSHE or general problem housekeeping (issues that need dealing with). 2. The Christmas argument is dumb. Jesus the man was born in October, the December celebration only started in the Roman invasion - they basically allowed us to keep our fave Pagan festival if we made it about Christianity.

Why don’t you want your child to have an awareness of the concept of religion? Better to be informed of different religions, beliefs and cultures isn’t it?
As a teacher in Scotland, I can tell you that assemblies are way more than just religious teachings. They celebrate successes of pupils, often teach morals and ethics, get children thinking and are a chance to be together as a whole school to share achievements and important messages. Religion is a tiny part and unless it was a ‘religious achool’ would not be forcing religious views on pupils, only teaching diversity and tolerance. I’m not sure why you would keep your children from that.

Personally I’m with the other Mums - it really doesn’t do them any harm to participate in school assemblies or worship but if you feel that strongly about it e.g. because you’re a Jehovah’s Witness etc then I would go and see the headteacher and have both children exempt from them.

Personally though I would let them both participate with their peers and let them decide what they want when they are adults! By not attending the assembly they miss out on a lot more than the worship e.g. PHSE and other matters ...

In the notes on religious education as part of the Curriculum For Excellence that you can withdraw your child from religious education and activities. The school are obliged to provide alternative activities (so, not just leaving them sitting outside the classroom / assembly hall).

If you've written to them to express tgis and one teacher is ignoring it, you need to arrange a meeting with the head teacher to understand how they are going to meet your request.

I think you are a bit daft making such a fuss for what it's worth , but it is your right to withdraw them from religious observance in school and the school should respect your wishes (however not based on anything except personal prejudice they are) oops, that slipped out.........

Did you also say they couldn't attend the Christmas party celebrations as well?

“To withdraw them from these assemblies you need to write a formal letter to the headteacher that you wish to withdraw them from religious education”

Not true. You can withdraw your child from actual worship, but they can still attend RE lessons and take part in Christmas celebrations and so on.

I can't take any religions seriously. This one says don't eat this, this one says wear this, this one says pray like this - yada yada yada - but i really couldn't give a monkey's if my kids took part in an act of worship in any religion. It's just part of life's rich and varied tapestry.

I suggest you put your wishes in writing and arrange a meeting with your child's teacher and the headteacher of the school and give it to them, explaining your point of view.

Under a section in the law you as a parent have the right to remove your child from religious education and sex education as well as drug related topics. None of my children do any of it and school only asked that I wrote in or emailed to tell them. I would suggest a strongly worded email to the head and also a note for each child. My school knows better than to make a boo boo over this with my girls.

Raving Catholic here.

We want our children to grow up hopefully sharing our values and beliefs. We therefore select schools which we believe are likely to support us in this.

OP is the parent and thus has the right to withdraw child without question or comment from school, regardless of whether or not anyone agrees with the wisdom of her decision. Stick to your guns OP.