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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School residential is religious

321 replies

Stephthegreat · 26/03/2022 20:05

Dcs school is CofE and as there are four faith schools closest to us we sent dcs to the nearest one. Neither me or dh are religious but we support the values of the faith and the school.

The school used to go to a really fab place for residential and it was full of activities, adventuring, just a really fun weekend. Ds is due to go on camp soon and the new residential the school have chosen looks extremely religious. Ds really doesn’t enjoy this side of school and has his own ideas about faith.

The programme involves daily bible study and ‘getting to know jesus’. There are bible related games and quizzes and prayer sessions. It looks like they do bushcraft and have a bonfire too which is up Ds street. He’s a bit put off by the whole idea and I also think it’s quite serious!

AIBU?

OP posts:
woodhill · 03/04/2022 11:56

@JohnMcCainsDeathStare

To all those who say he could go and ask awkward questions - for the whole time of the camp? Plus if it is going to be very lovebomby, manipulatory and withe zinger that if you don't love Jesus more than your family you're gonna burn in Hell that doesn't sit right. He is a child not a canary. And yes, faith schools are a way for the Government to not fund education properly while hiding it under the condom of 'parental choice' as if it is assumed that it is the parents going to school?
Is it though

Perhaps OP should talk to the school as perhaps other dps have similar concerns?

Lots of us went to primary C of E schools in my generation and I remember dcs going to a Christian residential at primary school even though it was a secular school

JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 03/04/2022 12:56

Thing is how religious is the religious retreat? From OP, it seemed that it was low-key religious with more of a focus on outdoors stuff originally - now its turned into a full-blown Jesus camp - smells like a bait-n-switch to me.

MrFsAunt · 03/04/2022 13:27

YANBU OP.

This is why the French had the right idea in separating church & state - and still get flak for mostly keeping to that to this day.

I'd consider removing my child in your case.

deste · 03/04/2022 19:02

When my DD went on her school residential trip, we didn't know at the time but it was also religious. As I was one of the two parents on the trip all I remember was that they had a meaningful story at bed time. Also they weren't allowed to mention ghosts, they were scaring each other and that was definitely a no no. There was also a slide from the top of a hill to the bottom and they weren't allowed to call it the death slide. What fun.

Lougle · 03/04/2022 19:13

YANBU (I am a Christian). CofE schools are meant to provide for children of all faiths and none. This doesn't sound like it's aiming to do that.

As a Christian, I'd want to know what their statement of faith is, too, because 'Christian' covers a whole range of beliefs.

Lougle · 03/04/2022 19:21

If it's the one I think it is, to be fair their doctrine statement isn't out there and their safeguarding policy is good. I still think you are reasonable to have some reservations though.

EducatingArti · 03/04/2022 19:25

If it is Yorkshire Camps you need to look at the schools page. It explains there that the "religious" bit they do is different and more like the re teaching children would get in school.
I'd chat to the school in the first instance and see what they say.
It may be that it is the most cost effective residential they can do also.

alexdgr8 · 03/04/2022 20:20

@saraclara

I think it would be naive to expect different.

It wasn't naive at all. The vast majority of CofE schools do not proseletze. For starters many have pupils (sometimes a majority) of a different faith.They have RE lessons that might be more focused on Christianity and their assemblies might well involve Jesus. But not this. This residential appears to be an evangelical place which is about proseletyzation, and as a school trip for all, it should be questioned and challenged..

i agree. and i don't object to church of england schools per se. the c of e is not a cult or a club that people join, with tight boundaries. it is part of the fabric of society, law, and history, constitution in england. i disagree with some evangelicals trying to hive it off into their version of christianity, and moreso with regard to schools and residential trips.
GinaGina22 · 05/04/2022 08:07

Even if they say they don't go heavy on it for a school trip, still remember that their whole aim is to recruit new members to their religion. I know this because I used to be part of this. I'm still in these circles and they don't know I'm 'out' so it's very revealing. I would never send my child to anything like this but I am obviously much more anti-religion than someone who hasn't once been a part of it!

woodhill · 05/04/2022 09:22

It's a free choice to be a Christian so hopefully not a cultish approach

crepesncream · 05/04/2022 11:03

.
It is part of the fabric of society, law, and history, constitution in england

This...... . Much of our law traces its routes in biblical teachings, like the 10 commandments.Copies of which are still hung in old parish churches to remind citizens of its importance and the maintenance of moral and social cohesion.

"For more than a thousand years the Bible has gone hand in hand with civilization"
Samuel Taylor Coleridgidge.

What a stark world we would be without it.

woodhill · 05/04/2022 11:22

Interesting to know where this place is

It may be run by volunteers so it keeps costs down and gives dcs a break

Soozikinzii · 05/04/2022 11:28

YANBU if there is no state school that is non religious nearby . So your rights as non religious are just as important as those of someone who is religious. So your child may have to miss out on his only residential opportunity or be forced into religious activities you as a family do not agree with . I would be annoyed as well

EthelMerman · 05/04/2022 15:47

@crepesncream

. It is part of the fabric of society, law, and history, constitution in england

This...... . Much of our law traces its routes in biblical teachings, like the 10 commandments.Copies of which are still hung in old parish churches to remind citizens of its importance and the maintenance of moral and social cohesion.

"For more than a thousand years the Bible has gone hand in hand with civilization"
Samuel Taylor Coleridgidge.

What a stark world we would be without it.

Oh @crepesncream there were moral codes before the bible came along. Civilisation didn’t start when Christianity popped into existence.

Christianity draped itself over many existing religious customs and laws and absorbed them so that pagans would acquiesce more easily to losing their festivals.

Easter is a whole other piece of illogicality - who else dies on a different date every year? Not my relatives but hey. Those pesky old priests, the Council of Nicaea, in 325AD decided Easter is celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. Go figure…

woodhill · 05/04/2022 15:50

I thought Easter tied in with the Jewish Passover

BoredZelda · 05/04/2022 23:44

Interesting that this is deemed ok because it’s a faith school.

My daughter’s primary school was not a faith school, their P5 residential was at a religious outdoor centre. I was a bit pissed off when I was told they all had to say grace and prayers and stuff. At the end they were all asked to thank the Lord for their trip. Not sure why he gets the credit, I was the one who had to pay 200 quid for it. He really failed on accessibility for my daughter’s disability too.

EthelMerman · 06/04/2022 07:16

@woodhill

I thought Easter tied in with the Jewish Passover
@woodhill I thought that too but looking at t’internet it’s about the Hebrew calendar so Passover and Easter are not always exactly in sync.

The dates are based on the Hebrew calendar, from the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan (or Nisan) through the 22nd day.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/04/2022 07:41

YANBU, OP. It's bad that you're stuck in the position of having to send your kid to a faith school in the first place - it's ludicrous that in some areas there are far more faith school places than there are children of religious parents. PP telling you to move or suck it up aren't living in the real world. Awful attitude.

Within school, parents can opt their kids out of assemblies etc - perhaps you should ask if there is a similar opt out provision at this camp? Having to opt him out of the whole thing to avoid what sounds like indoctrination attempts is very unfair. (To put it mildly). Maybe he could take some books and read quietly during the 'Bible study' or 'getting to know a poorly documented long dead historical figure Jesus'?

ErrolTheDragon · 06/04/2022 07:55

I'd missed the post about the camp directors describing themselves as 'missionaries'...
Tbh I think I'd not send him (and tell the school why.). Save your money and do some nice things with him instead.

Daffodilz · 06/04/2022 14:41

@woodhill

I thought Easter tied in with the Jewish Passover
Yeah, Judeo-Christian...
JohnMcCainsDeathStare · 18/04/2022 19:18

How did it go? Did your DS go in the end?

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