To think that a RECEPTION teacher shouldn't have said this ???

[AutumnalPumpkin]

My daughter goes to a catholic school (it was the only school available to us) we are not a religious family, but it does not bother me that she is being immersed in religion. After all, she will only make her own mind up later in life anyway. But this is relevant.
They use god in almost every part of the day, and in all aspects of learning.
As those who are not religious will know, we and a lot of others view god as "made up" or a myth, if you will.
Now this brings me to where I have a problem - her reception teacher has picked up on some of the class talking about unicorns. A typical 4/5 year old thing... and has proceeded to tell them that Unicorns, fairies and dragons etc are all made up, and do not exist.
This is absolute insanity to me!!? They are 4/5 and all have wonderful vivid imaginations.
We regularly take my daughter to "the fairy forest" and she immerses herself into it and tries to find clues to where the fairies could be hiding, and loves to think that at nighttime all of the magical creatures come out to play.
She's now come home saying that it's all untrue and they are made up.
I'm actually really upset about this.
How can you push the belief of god, and they go all out for Santa etc. but actively shut down the belief of magical creatures ??

Because they believe in God and not in unicorns.

I don't buy the crushing dreams by telling the truth either. Telling kids something isn't real.doesn't stop them daydreaming about it or making up stories about it. Plenty of adults care enormously about fictional characters.

Quite. I don't understand this attitude.

It is rubbish you don't get a choice of schools. Many of my family are Catholic and went to Catholic schools. They would also agree that the teacher was silly for saying that to 4 year olds. They figure it out soon enough anyway. I wouldn't pick it up with the school but I would say to the child that that teacher can't see thd magic. Not everyone can. And she can carry on believing for a couple more wonderful years

But bonfire night is anti catholic.

Guy Fawkes was Catholic.
The burning of an effigy of him every year was enshrined in law as an annual reminder that the catholics will be stopped.

YABU. And it’s got nothing to do with being a Catholic school. If my child or any child asked me if unicorns or mermaids are real I would tell them that they are fairytale creatures and that they are just in story books. I had no idea that other people were telling them that they are real 🤷🏼‍♀️ I don’t think that takes away any magic from reading about them in stories or role playing. At what age do you keep telling them that unicorns are real? And what do you say when they ask to see one at the zoo?!

Of course not. I’m just shaking my head to this tbh.

@ExtraOnions but they didn't ask. They were told.

@RedLolly101 I'm glad you've had this experience.
This school is in walking distance to us, there's a couple other reasons why we chose it. However I know for this school there is no opt out scheme. I didn't think it would actually be an issue though

@radiantorange

Paddington Mainline Station. Platform 1. He is there.

@Maireas I can assure you they won't. 90% of her class is Muslim

@DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy I am sure they do?? I never went to a religious school but all schools had Christian hymns ?

I had no idea I was supposed to pretend those things are real. What’s wrong with saying unicorns aren’t real?! I mean… they’re not! Do kids really believe they are? I personally don’t see a problem with what she said and I’m not religious. I guess if it was Santa I could understand your upset but unicorns and dragons … nah.

Having done some supply work at a couple of Catholic schools, I wouldn’t send my child to one. I personally think religion should be kept out of education apart from teaching about all religions in a broad and balanced way. The Catholic schools I’ve been to have had religion embedded all throughout the day to a level I would class as indoctrination.
C of E schools are usually less dogmatic in my experience and have less of the school day dedicated to religious teachings. Having said that, I would still much prefer a good secular state school so DC can learn to respect others beliefs and come to their own conclusions as they get older rather than be told what to believe.

@Jewelspun the general consensus here is that this is not a catholic / religious issue. This is a teacher issue. She doesn't have to tell them they are real, but she doesn't have to butt In unnecessarily and tell them what they are talking about is fake

I know nothing about Catholic beliefs on mythical creatures but think the teacher was a bit mean spirited. She could have said nothing on the matter.

@viques ive been told this! And there’s the shop and cafe. He says he still likes Paddington so we will provably
go there as we’ll be nearby. 😊 I think the house from the film is in Camden and it’s private, we’re definitely not going there 😂

Jesus isn't a mythical being. 'Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed'. Whether or not you believe he was the son of God, he existed.

This is nothing to do with it being a Catholic school!
This is what that individual teacher said.
Most teachers would of course let a four year old believe in fairies!
That wasn't nice of the teacher but it's not because it's a Catholic school.
And I say this as a Catholic teacher!

@DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy there are elements of faith in the school?? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise what I mean. It is not a strict religious school, but they still implement parts of religion. I.E hymns in assembly. Talking about Christian holidays etc

@CinnamonJellyBeans - winner for the most constructive answer. Thank you. I will certainly be asking for compensation 😆

Well, @AutumnalPumpkin this sounds a bit contradictory - you say it's not religious, yet you do have concerns about it being a Catholic school?
If it's not the religion, not the school, just the teacher, maybe arrange to talk to her?

Op - am I BU?
90% - yes
Op - no I’m not

I'm outta here

Although I’d be interested to know where you live where there were NO other available non- denominational schools…?

This is an issue with the teacher, not Catholic school, which in primary school tend to the God loves us all and Jesus was good and kind message - it's really not that different from mainstream Church of England, it's not a weird extremist cult as some pps seem to think.

Halloween has been celebrated in Ireland, which is still predominantly Catholic, for decades, with kids dressing up as witches and ghosts, and lots of folk stories of fairy folk and leprechauns- and that's just one Catholic country, Mexico gave us the Day of the Dead.

Your issue is a joyless teacher. But if you send your kids to a Catholic school you should get some understanding of the general beliefs, and decide if you want to withdraw your children for certain parts of the curriculum.

@titchy this is what I'm saying! I have no idea how it's going to work 😆
I do know there is no opt out system at this school.

I don't think it's anything to do with it being a Catholic school. Children that age learn to tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Bears don't talk and make porridge etc. I used to do farm tours for young children. I asked them what they hoped to see. Sometimes one would say 'elephants', for instance, and I'd explain where elephants would live. Some suggested 'unicorns' and I'd explain they were only in stories and not on a farm. Shock! Horror! Many of these were 4 year olds. Teachers teach.