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?

I don’t think “cauliflower’s fluffy” is a Christian song, is it?

I don't think so, although I've never played it backwards. Ours do sing one that references God, but the weird thing about it is it seems to thank him at one point for 'tasty takeaways'. Now, I do like the occasional Dominos, but teaching children that it comes directly from God is definitely off.

I hate that bloody song with a vengeance,

No, guineapiglet, every time you say that a little baby winter radish dies.

I'll see your "cauliflower’s fluffy" and raise you the hideously awful Harvest Samba.

I hate that bloody song with a vengeance

😱 You have no soul! After 17 years of fostering many children of various religions, I should hate it!

I love the energy and happy smiles the children put into it. They all space out 're the rest of the service, as did I, but nooo... Cauliflower fluffy makes my year 😁 Just because the kids put their heart and soul into it. As an athiest I have no problem going into a Church for weddings, funerals and Cauliflower fluffy 🤗

Had to look up "Cauliflowers fluffy" - after my time.

Of course. I’m not really sure why that’s relevant, thought It's totally relevant because you are free to discuss your position on religion here in this nasty backward country where schools are obliged to have assemblies in school of a Christian nature. And parents are allowed to withdraw their children from such assemblies. I thank my lucky stars that I live in the UK.

So because things are worse in other countries, we should accept that Christianity takes precedence in state funded schools?

Do you celebrate Christmas?

I believe in not pushing anything down childrens throats but letting them form their own opinion is different! Singling out your children in their class is mean!

So because things are worse in other countries, we should accept that Christianity takes precedence in state funded schools? But the influence is so weak. The Church of Scotland is a dying institution. It's nothing to be feared at all.

“I believe in not pushing anything down childrens throats but letting them form their own opinion is different!”

So you agree that school assemblies should be secular. That’s good.

You want your children to be seen as "special" because they don't have to follow the rules

Clearly OP does want her children to follow the rules. The rules that say that she is entitled to withdraw her children from religious worship and the school must comply.

Isn't it strange how children of all religions in culturally diverse Britain are able to attend school assembly, except yours.

If you really believe that OP's children are the only ones withdrawn from school assembly, you're seriously deluded.

Talking of horrible assembly songs, what about that one that goes "Love is something if you give it away you end up having more." My inner grammar pedant curls up in horror every time I hear that one.

“But the influence is so weak. The Church of Scotland is a dying institution. It's nothing to be feared at all“

I don’t fear it. And if you think the influence of Christianity is weak you don’t know much about school admissions in England and Wales.

And it’s a pretty powerful message being sent out if parents who don’t want their children to participate in Christian worship have to actively withdraw them from a significant pRet of the school day.

And if you think the influence of Christianity is weak you don’t know much about school admissions in England and Wales. Oh believe me I know all about it. My ex friends attended the C of E and Baptist churches and got their children into the desirable C of E school. We attended church and didn't bother. I know all about the English hypocrisy. Scotland is another kettle of fish entirely.

Oh, and the UK isn’t a Christian majority country. Hasn’t been for some time
Christianity was found to be the largest religious group with 59% of the population, followed by Muslims with 5%-ONS
B Russel you seem to want to shout down every poster that disagrees with you, particularly where Islam is concerned.

There's a different picture here two seven

www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/04/half-uk-population-has-no-religion-british-social-attitudes-survey

Now admittedly it's not one, but that statistic is from 2011, which had seen a drop from about 70% since 2001.

ONS

email the school and local authority to address this it is youre right as a parent concerning youre childs education if you do or dont want them involved with something school related.make them listen its ok for others to say it dosent do them any harm. my children were baptised but its up to them whatever they decide to right on forms regarding this.

“B Russel you seem to want to shout down every poster that disagrees with you, particularly where Islam is concerned.”

I honestly don’t understand this- could you explain, please?

And if you think the influence of Christianity is weak you don’t know much about school admissions in England and Wales. This in spades!

And I would say 'God exists regardless of faith.
Its interesting that every child born in the world comes to experience and understand gravity in exactly the same way, with zero teaching about it.
And yet when it comes to supernatural beings, children's beliefs (if any) are different all over the world. The only consistency being geographical. Exactly as you would expect if they were socially constructed stories with no actual truth in them.
Hence all children are atheists until they are indoctrinated into a belief.

all Primary schools put in a little play at Christmas entitled "The Nativity", which whether you like it or not is a Christian story about the birth of Jesus

Its funny that that Christians think the 'nativity' is an original story they came up with. Its just a cut and paste job from previous religions, all Christianity did was change the names. They couldn't even get the historical facts correct never mind the supernatural aspect of it. lol

got their children into the desirable C of E school

Faith schools are usually very desirable - because of the ethos of respect for each other and of authority which is instilled into the children. This discipline means that they are better behaved (in general) than many children in many state schools, which in turn makes it easier for the teachers to teach and the pupils to learn.

It does annoy me that people with contempt for religion will move mountains to get their kids into faith schools so that they can benefit from an ethos they disparage.

If youreallybelieve that OP's children are the only ones withdrawn from school assembly, you're seriously deluded

It seems, in this case, that out of 2 classes of potentially 30 children each, OP's children are the only ones to have to opt out of assembly 're their mothers bigotry - seeing as she has to keep emailing school about her poor children needing to be excluded from their peers for the perfectly normal school event that is assembly. What the fuck does she think will happen to her precious offspring if they join their classes of, who there will consist of many different religions, for a 20 minute all school assembly every now and again? Seriously, there is a whole lot more to fear in this world than a fucking school assembly!

Maybe OP could speak to the school rather than look to the people of MN for support - not forgetting that no school will perform in exactly the same way.

There is good reason why the Head of OP's school has basically told OP to fuck off! Seeing as OP isn't happy with the school, but obviously doesn't want to home educate maybe she should spend the rest of her children's educational years looking for a school who will bow to her childrens needs, regardless of the needs of the other many children they have to meet. Some people are much more worthy than others don't you know! 🙄 OP has a lot to learn of the real world...

Faith schools are usually very desirable - because of the ethos of respect for each other and of authority which is instilled into the children
What tosh, 'faith' schools are desirable for the sharp elbowed middle classes because they are able to select and keep out the undesirables. It called Christian privilege.

It seems, in this case, that out of 2 classes of potentially 30 children each, OP's children are the only ones to have to opt out of assembly 're their mothers bigotry Actually I don't recall the OP saying whether there ARE any other children at the school (apart from her own DD, who IS being allowed to miss the worship bits) who don't attend the assemblies that have a religious worship element.

There is good reason why the Head of OP's school has basically told OP to fuck off! RTFT, the school has until now been totally compliant with the OPs right to have her children not attend religious worship. In fact they are still compliant when it comes to the OPs DD, it is only this year's class teacher of her DS who is insisting that he attend religious worship. Which says to me that the Head has in no way "told OP to fuck off".

Seeing as OP isn't happy with the school, but obviously doesn't want to home educate maybe she should spend the rest of her children's educational years looking for a school who will bow to her childrens needs, regardless of the needs of the other many children they have to meet. The only way the OP could find a school with no religious worship would be for her to move to England & find a school which bends the law regarding collective worship of a broadly Christian nature. Unless of course she asks the school to comply with her 100% legal right to request her children don't attend worship. In Scotland your children to to the nearest school, with the only choice being Catholic or "non Dom" Church of Scotland.