To have not realised prayers in school was still a thing?

[UnreadyEthel]

DS1 (5) started school in September. One of the reasons I chose the school was that it had no obvious religious affiliation, while another good school in the area is a Christian school. We are secular.

This morning DS1 mentioned over breakfast that they say prayers at school before they eat lunch. I was absolutely gobsmacked. It’s not something I’ve ever come across in non-religious schools (and I have worked in plenty, mainly in cities). DH, who is from the rural area we now live in, was less surprised. ‘I had to do it all the way through school and it never harmed me’. I have sent a polite email to the headteacher asking for clarification of their policies.

DS2 (3) attends the very small nursery next to the school. I asked at pickup today whether they say prayers there and the nursery teacher said ‘yes, of course’. When I asked if DS2 could opt out please she said they’d never come across the situation before, and whether I wanted her to tell him off if he joined in out of habit! I wonder whether they haven’t come across another child who wanted to opt out before because other parents aren’t aware it’s going on? And because they obviously haven’t read the forms I filled in when he enrolled. I also asked what they would do if there was a child of a different religion, but she didn’t know.

AIBU to think this is an outdated practice? Or should I just accept it’s something that comes with raising children in a more rural area of the UK?

I think describing 5 years old praying as indoctrination is ridiculous. Get a grip.

I did not want my children to be ‘immersed in this belief/faith’. That’s why I made the conscious choice not to send my children to the church affiliated school. I wasn’t aware that the practice of religion was common place in non-religious schools, hence my surprise that my children have been participating in prayers.

This. It’s literally part of the law in the UK. How are you a parent and not aware of this?

Then pay privately for your child to be educated. Simple way to avoid the mandatory daily act of worship.

Me neither, but it's happening. I am guessing assemblies are predominately Christianity perhaps, explaining why there is more opting out. RE covers all religions and choices which is great, hopefully atheism/science is included too.

Because it has never happened in any school I attended or worked in, other than the overtly Christian ones. There’s no requirement to learn the whole of UK law when you have a baby.

🙄

England.
Not the UK.
The OP is in Wales.
(Although I don't know the rules for Scotland or NI but someone else on the thread said it's not the law in Scotland)

There have been multiple threads on Mumsnet talking about how anything to do with LGBT in schools is indoctrination. How is that any different to religion?

I’m still wondering what you meant by this.

Well it's certainly no different to left wing indoctrination in schools and colleges. Funny how that kind of indoctrination is the right one. Give over. This is all about Christianity being the easiest religion to attack along with being Jewish. It gets very tedious beating about the Bush.

I wouldn’t say that’s a simple act. You shouldn’t have to pay privately to avoid worship, it shouldn’t be in the education system.

Imagine if the equivalent was you have to worship Elon Musk or Kier Starmer before every meal or every morning. I’m sure people would be in uproar about our education system remaining impartial and objective.

In that case, ALL religious festivals shouldn't be acknowledged in schools. Got it.

There is a difference between acknowledging festivals and a religious body having control over schools. You can acknowledge something without it being a mandatory requirement every day.

So do you think that Christmas should only be for Christians?

@UnreadyEthel OP, I am extremely jealous of your uneventful life that gives you the freedom and the mental energy to become aggressive and agitated over children saying prayers in school.

Well as it literally celebrates Christ's birth (hence the name Christ's Mass) why would people of other - or no - religious persuasion celebrate it?????

Such a victim complex.

No one wants to stop you from being religious, no one is attacking your religion. Pray when and where you want; worship what and who and when you want - but recognise that doing so is a personal choice that no one else should be forced or pressured into, which is what's happening in schools.

We are atheists but celebrate Christmas as party and presents time. Days off work and school. Good food and drinks. Time to spend with family and friends.

@Parker231 I always say Christians celebrate "Christmas" and non-christians celebrate "Xmas".
Pretty much the same thing but one involves going to church 😂

Our main celebration is Sinterklaas. Religion doesn’t come into our holiday season.

Didn't go any further than your first sentence.

Because it’s part of our culture. Some people do the religious bits, some people don’t.

@Dangermoo-I’m still waiting for an answer to my question!

I'm still waiting for your hatred of Christianity to be more cleverly masked.