To get really irate when 'Religion' is taught as 'fact' even though I chose not to send dc's to a religious school?

[Dabbles]

I was raised catholic, but have questioned my faith. Through studying aspects of my religion adn through experience of those who, let us say "live by the cloth", I have decided it is not for me. Dh is not religious. We intentionally chose to send dcs to non religious school, and encourage then to question things they are taught, but give them the option to believe what they choose. However I do not liek the fact that they are encouraged to 'pray' before lunch and taught christmas/easter as 'historical fact'.

AIBU? I really do not see a place for religion in modern day society, science yes, religion, no.

DS2 is in Y10; he hasn't had to do RE this year. Where is it compulsory?

Religion obviously shouldn't be taught as fact, the idea of philosophy and ethics in school is a very good one and so is the inclusion of cultural studies, as part of citizenship (got to be good for summink!)

Heated, We fought those emmanuel tossers and won [proud]

Elkat you say "I'm an atheist, but I am a RE teacher too".

I find that really interesting. I am an atheist too and was raised with no religion. When I started school I was kept out of religious assemblies by my parents (along with the Jahovas!) but by secondary school I had to do RE. Everyone in my class knew the lords prayer but I didn't have a clue, and was markk as being deliberately petulant for not writing it down even though I only knew a few words and so could't write it down.

What made you want to teach RE if you are an Atheist and do you teach it as fact?

religion is the basis of most of our laws, almost the entire of our morality and much of social norms.

I am not particularly religious but i do still think it has a place in modern society.

I think the RE SHOULD be taught as a compulsary topic at schools.
it should not be taught as fact, no. but children should grow up with a basic knowledge of the cultures and religions around us.

maybe if they all knew the basics then we wouldn't have such a problem with race crime and the constant suspicion of anyone who practices their faith anywhere but a church.

Religion is not the basis of morality. IMO.

Most of the schools around here are not allowed to celebrate certain festivals (the school that a friend of mine teaches at did not allow their classes to have a nativity theme assembly at Christmas), due to the fact that there are SO many religions around here. I think that they are taught that 'people believe this, and people believe that.'

However, I am of the opinion that children SHOULD know where the MEANING of Christmas/Easter etc comes fromm IF they celebrate it. I hope I am making sense!

x

I just dont understand all this "we can't celebrate in case we offend" business.

why shouldn't children be taught and celebrate christmas, easter, eid, diwali etc etc.

when they have the excuse to be excited about an upcoming celebration the children seem to take in the information easier.

I totally agree, Mamazon. They SHOULD be able to celebrate. My friend was highly miffed thatthey were NOT (under ANY circumstances) to allow halloween celebrations in the school.

I also agree that religion shouldn't be taught as fact, but 'beliefs.' I am not against that at all. What I AM against is people celebrating Christmas ect with their kids but then getting the hump when the kids are taught the reasoning behind it all. Which isn't directed at anyone here, I am thinking of a neighbour!

This is a hobby horse of mine too - but I was on a 1000 post thread on the subject a while ago, and signally failed to convert anyone to my secularist viewpoint. So I am struggling very hard not to be drawn into this debate this time! I'll see if I can find the thread somewhere.

here

I think you'll find every possible viewpoint on this debate on here somewhere - including Seeker's valiant rearguard action against the enemies of Enlightenment!

I would be very interested in seeing the thread, Seeker.

Do you celebrate any of the festivals? Just out of curiosity!

I do like a good debate!

Settles down with popcorn and beer to read thread

Thanks!

x

I believe in celebrating everything - up to and ncluding OakApple Day. Christmas, Diwali, Eid, Passover, Groundhog Day, St Patrick's Day, Beltane, Rosh Hoshana ...I'm there with a cake and a bottle.

What fascinates me is that I have never actually heard directly of a school where they banned Nativity plays for fear of offending anyone. I've only heard second or third hand. Not saying it doesn't happen though...but I would need some real evidence!

It's true, schools are now very precious about that sort of thing.

Especially Halloween!

Dear Lord (only an expression, I promise!), am only on page 5 of 41.

It's going to be a long day!

My husband's an RE teacher - he most certainly does not teach it as fact (very mixed secondary school, 60% approx Moslem). He is also a Christian preacher - which you would never know from the way he teaches his lessons.

He thinks RE is tremendously important in his school in order that the children learn to coexist and appreciate each others point of view - it is very much focused on getting them to be tolerant.

I think, given the way our culture is at the moment and the amount of media trying to frighten people by saying that the world is full of extremists (christian and moslem) the more we need to teach RE.

Please think very carefully before letting your children opt out of RE, the only ones who have tried to do it so far this year is two families, one idiot right-wing fundamentalist Christian family (because it wasn't taught as fact) and one Moslem family who didn't want their daughter visiting a synagogue.

Oh, actually, I tell a lie - I have heard about Halloween being banned to appease the extremist God-Botherers. And at our school there is a family of Jehovas Witnesses and the classes that have one of that family in aren't allowed to have any stories with witches in.

In my view, Seeker, that is completely bonkers.

Anyhoo, i'll have to continue reading t'other thread when I get home.

Mine too. Seriously and dangerously bonkers.

Good luck with reading the thread - it did go on a bit!

Just want to say that I'm ok with kids dressing up and making decorations for every special day there is. They enjoy it so why not. Could even invent "National there wasn't a celebration this week - Day"

Unfortunately when it comes to the day that the teacher believes in they will pick up the idea that it's real. So how about we let the Christian teacher teach them about Diwali and the Hindu teacher can help them make a nativity play.

That should apply for older ones too. When learning 'about' other religions it would be more objective for the teacher to not believe in them.

WHY religious education though? Sure children should learn about the differing backgrounds and beliefs of all the groups that make up modern society. My argument is by calling the subject 'religious education' you are privileging believers from the outset. The assumption is that some sort of spiritual belief is normal and rational, whereas in many people's view it is neither. Why not call it cultural studies or anthropology?

I'm an aethist and RE teacher. I have never taught anything as fact and tbh lost my passion for teaching it as a subject over the years. Hence I have for the last couple of years been retraining to teach another subject and will be qualified to do so shortly.

It should be called religious studies rather than RE - old fashioned term.

What gets my goat is the fact that it has to be taught from a Christian point of view, and in an exam, students have to argue from a Christian point of view or they fail.

I teach in a secondary school, and the majority of kids think the Christian issue is a waste of time, and just want to be taught about different religions from no particular standpoint.

I loathe the way is is insidiously taught at the moment, and have seriously considered disapplying ds from it