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AIBU?

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Original poster

To expect a non - religious school NOT to practise worship?

116 replies

bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 17:13

Please tell me if I am or not or just have my facts wrong. My DC is at a non- religious primary school, they learn about different religions - ok fine but they also practise pray to JC and God. My DC has been saying things like God is the saviour - don't get it.

OP posts:
UnquietDad · 07/09/2008 22:02

I know, it's a bit of a pain. DD comes home talking about God and Jesus. I listen avidly and tell her that's an interesting story. And just a story. That's how we will go on...

Bettyboobird · 07/09/2008 22:09

I think religious education is such an enriching subject-it teaches children about being tolerant to others' beliefs, it allows opportunities for children to make decisions, and talk about issues freely that might not be broached in other subjects.

If a parent has no religion, they can relay this to a child if they wish, but to tell a child, 'it's just a story', I think is quite disrespectful to a religion that holds God at its centre.

I happily tell my children that I believe in God, and to me he is very important, but not everyone feels the same as me. I'd be really cross if someone who didn't believe, tried to tell my dds that the Bible is 'just a story' in a factual manner...

Just my opinion, of course.

mabanana · 07/09/2008 22:13

Nobody IS telling your dds it's just a story. But just as religious people are free to tell their kids that their particular faith is true, so UD is free to tell his kids it's not.

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 22:16

Betty,

I feel quite offended that my children are been encouraged to believe in something which I am not sure is true. I fully accept that they should be taught about many religions - I do not want them to be worshipping. It is a non - religious school.

OP posts:
AbbeyA · 07/09/2008 22:16

This comes up every few months. If you are not at a church school you are at a non denominational school, it just means that it isn't affiliated to a particular denomination. Britain is a Christian country so schools are broadly Christian. All school have, by law to provide an act of worship every day.
this page

mabanana · 07/09/2008 22:17

You can pull them out of assembly. Just write to the head.

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 22:20

I don't want to pull my child out of assembley, prayers etc as I don't want to make them 'different'. However, I will continue to tell my kids that not all people believe what they have been taught.

OP posts:
AbbeyA · 07/09/2008 22:20

If you read my link you will see that mabanana is correct.

AbbeyA · 07/09/2008 22:21

I think it is much better for them to be there. You can then have interesting conversations of a philosophical nature, rather than just telling them it is rubbish and they can't listen!

solidgoldbrass · 07/09/2008 22:24

Oh I hate this. It's ludicrous. People who want their DC to talk to imaginary friends are at liberty to take their DC to places of worship as often as they want, but why inflict it on everyone else? OK if the school is a faith school then it's part of the deal, but if it's not a faith school then why should the school have to do somethign that's not only a waste of time but divisive (what about all the Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, Pagan, Buddist, Muslim kids?) Imagine having to start every day at work with a sing song all about how wonderful the GIant SPaghetti Monster is, whatever your personal affiliations.

Bettyboobird · 07/09/2008 22:24

mabanana-that's my point though, I don't tell my children that my faith is the only faith, or that I have evidence that God exisits etc. I simply tell them what I believe.

Sorry if that was unclear.

bloomingfedup-I agree, it is wrong to encourage a child to believe in any religion. RE should be teaching children about religions, not encouraging them to follow a particular one.

That is wrong, and is certainly not the form that RE in a school should be taking.

onager · 07/09/2008 22:26

Do tell him it's just a story like goldilocks or something. Don't worry about offending god as he doesn't exist.

Bettyboobird, are you okay with me telling your kids that Shiva is the only god?
Most people who talk about respecting religion mean respecting MY religion.

onager · 07/09/2008 22:28

Cross posted there and I see you have expanded on your position bettyboobird

mabanana · 07/09/2008 22:29

To me, asking children to worship IS telling them that God (and only the Christian God) exists. if your head teacher tells you to say a prayer to God, then clearly they are saying there is somebody called God to pray to.

Original poster
bloomingfedup · 07/09/2008 22:29

Betty,

That is my problem. I don't want my kids worshipping 'God', I want them to learn about different religions but not to practise them unless they choose to when they are older. At present i feel they are being brainwashed.

OP posts:
mabanana · 07/09/2008 22:30

The problem Blooming is that it is the law and schools get criticised by Ofsted if they don't follow the law. I agree with you that the law is wrong. Write to your MP?

AbbeyA · 07/09/2008 22:31

Until you separate the church from the state it won't change. If you feel strongly about it then join the society for a secular Britain. I leave children to make up their own minds, I don't tell them what to believe. A child of Christians may become an athiest, equally a child of atheists may want to be a vicar. I hate what I call the 'thought police' where parents tell the DC what they have to believe!

Bettyboobird · 07/09/2008 22:31

onager-I'm trying to make this as clear as I can... when teaching religious education, children should be taught that Muslims believe x, Sikhs believe y, Buddhists believe z etc etc.

You can happily tell my children that you believe that Shiva is the only god-why would that offend me or them??

Heated · 07/09/2008 22:31

Christian country (another debate I know) & schools legally have to offer a daily act of worship. They can disapply if they have a significant number of children of other faiths or faith.

I personally wouldn't pull my dcs from collective worship as they'll miss out on a lot of the fun stuff at Christmas & Easter. Also they may not like standing out from their peers, I would hate for them to feel under pressure over this. Tell him some ppl believe these stories and others choose not to. It's up to him whether he wants to pray but he can sit still or close his eyes if he wants to.

mabanana · 07/09/2008 22:33

AbbeyA, do you feel like that about all parents who take their kids to Church/Temple/Mosque etc? Because to me, that is most definitely telling kids what to believe. So is telling them to pray in schools. It's wrong, but it's the law, so schools are in a difficult position.

TheCrackFox · 07/09/2008 22:33

DS1 started school and within in a month was lecturing me about God and Jesus. I calmly told him "that's nice but a lot of people don't believe they exist and I am one of them." He still believes in God ( 2 years later) and TBH is pisses me off.

AbbeyA · 07/09/2008 22:33

Most schools actually do a prayer and then say 'if you want to make it your prayer say amen'. For most it is a period of reflection.

Bettyboobird · 07/09/2008 22:33

onager-sorry cross post on my part!

Stopfighting · 07/09/2008 22:35

We don't tell our kids what to believe.

We simply explain to them why God does not exist

LaylaandSethsmum · 07/09/2008 22:37

The 'collective act of worship' has to be of a ' broadly Christian nature', so hence the Jesus , God , hymns etc.

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