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Education

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Original poster

Cant get DC into a faith school

581 replies

angelfireabbey · 26/10/2014 14:46

I know this is possibly the wrong place because it seems the whole of MN is atheist or totally secular. However, there is a lot of discussion by MNers here about getting intofaith schools ( often without any faith because they are good schools).

I am a little bit fed up with it. I take my faith seriously. I take my DC to church and we believe. I wanted my DC to have a faith education. There are only two faith schools where I live. They are oversubscribed by parents who seem to have suddenly aquired a need to attend church to get a vicars signiture.

I had my pastors signiture but we didnt get a place. So instead my DC is stuck in a state school where the teachers and other children laugh and say that they have " imaginary friends" ( or simply they are nutters!) and that they believe in fairly stories etc. Sound familiar MN parents? ( I bet you wouldnt say it if someone were of say Jewish or Muslim faith though would you?). It is offensive you know.

They have an atheist teacher who clearly knows next to nothing about Christianity.

I would settle for any faith school although there are no others ( of any faith ) within 40 miles of us.

So how do I get into one? I have asked my church community. I know they are doing their best and we are praying hard but I am sure some savvy non religious types must know more here. So I am asking.
I see thread on thread where parents are scamming the system.So how does a genuine person get in?

Thanks.

OP posts:

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 13:27

I would love to know why you think children should not discuss matters of faith in school on a side note- I'd quite like to know what sort of things you thing children are brainwashed into thinking at state schools too

Hakluyt -I will have to correct you on this.

I am not opposed in principle to discussing faith in schools. However, I do maintain that I prefer my own DC to be emersed in one faith not because I believe in that necessarily but because it offers a clear foundation. Discussing many faiths is confusing. I believe children need good strong firm rules and foundations secured in one starting point if they are to be able to explore properly. It is also a secure starting point for good mental health (not an agenda for "nutters" as so many would have you think).

If my DC want to reject a faith at least they will do so from a position of knowledge and understanding, not one of half baked ideas and ignorance.

On the other hand I have strong objections to spirituality without a formal faith, social agendas such as SEAL, PHSME and often within that the teaching of RE also.

Camolips · 30/10/2014 14:05

I actually don't know where to start on that post wuzzup.

Poisonwoodlife · 30/10/2014 14:28

camolips I am thinking the same... Actually shocked this is coming from a teacher. Thankfully I live in a community where people, and schools are more open minded, and people are encouraged to think for themselves. It has never occurred to me to question what went on in RE lessons because either my DDs were stimulated and interested, or bored rigid......

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 15:09

Why the shock and horror reaction?

Just because I teach does not mean I am not entitled to a personal opinion nor does it mean I have to follow any particular dictat concerning how I educate my own DC anymore than you do.

I am quite happy for you and anyone and everyone else to do with their own DC as they see fit as long as I do not have to teach it (which I do not) and as long as I do not have to subject my own family to it (which I do not).

I would further question how "open minded" you really are if it has not occured to you to question what your DC are being taught. The starting point of any open mind is to question all things before commenting.

alemci · 30/10/2014 16:01

I'm not sure the students are necessarily taught to think for themselves and not necessarily in an RE clads. some teachers do have their own agenda at times.

alemci · 30/10/2014 16:02

sorry overuse of necessarily

TalkinPeace · 30/10/2014 16:49

wuzzup
I do maintain that I prefer my own DC to be emersed in one faith not because I believe in that necessarily but because it offers a clear foundation. Discussing many faiths is confusing.

I believe the word you are looking for is immersed
but actually what you are doing is narrow minded brainwashing.

You do not want your children taught about other religions in case they wake up and realise that its all imaginary
(comparing creation myths is an interesting activity)

If your children are confused by discussing many faiths, how do they cope with world politics? - or do you hide them from that as well?

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 17:15

Talkinpeace - you are quite right I made a spelling error there and I didnt check it.

However, I do not share your opinion. It is only your opinion. There is as much brainwashing in the current educational agenda which is heavily politically driven anyway.

My DC do not appear to be in any way disadvantaged by my approach. In fact they seem to be getting a first class education and one I am most satisfied with. Its far better than that I endured. Lets face it, many generations have been educated in a one religion system in this country and it hasnt done them any harm either.

But they are my children and it is my choice. You can make your own decisions as can others. I am not imposing my views on them. I really do not see why my personal preferences need to be criticised. Neither do I see why it has to be such an issue of "shock horror" just because of my occupation. Nor do I think my choices should be even open to criticism.

I am not asking for your "help" here am I? I have just expanded my thoughts because I was asked. My better judgement (had hakluyt not made such an issue of it) would have been to keep my private decisions private. I really do not see why anyone needs to be criticised for not sharing anothers viewpoint. That is an attempt at brainwashing.

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 17:22

I'm not sure the students are necessarily taught to think for themselves and not necessarily in an RE clads

I would wholeheartedly agree with that statement.

Hakluyt · 30/10/2014 17:26

"I'm not sure the students are necessarily taught to think for themselves and not necessarily in an RE clads" I don't understand this...

SuburbanRhonda · 30/10/2014 17:26

Often they will confuse the different religions they are taught at school. Getting them to understand some simple and basic "facts" about different beliefs is actually an achievement quite often.

wuzzup, for someone supposedly working in the field of educating children and young people, you have depressingly low expectations of their ability to think critically.

BigDorrit · 30/10/2014 17:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TalkinPeace · 30/10/2014 17:41

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 17:46

wuzzup, for someone supposedly working in the field of educating children and young people, you have depressingly low expectations of their ability to think critically.

Opinion again? You cannot make that judgment here on MN. That is quite an arrogant statement really, and assumptive. Its quite rude in fact ( one of the reasons I said I did not like these debates held on MN). Where are your manners?

Where is your evidence that I have depressingly low expectations? Where is your evidence that my students do poorly?

In fact, (although of course I cannot "prove it" beyond my own comment), they do very well. My A level results are generally excellent. In the league tables that is what counts. The uptake from AS to A2 in my subject is 100%, nearly every year, so they clearly enjoy it and like my teaching. Many continue with my subject to university, so clearly I have opened a window on a future path for them. I also get lots of letters saying "thank you". I do not think your opinion matters too much when placed against that quite truthfully.

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 17:50

Big Dorrit . I have never claimed to have any faith in God. I am in fact an agnostic. I would not presume to be so arrogant as to suggest God did not exist. I have no evidence, but then I have no evidence God exists either. The only logical position therefore has to be agnosticism

Please do not try to score points that way. It may well leave you with egg on your face rather than a dirty grin.

SuburbanRhonda · 30/10/2014 17:51

The evidence is the extract of your post that I put in bold, just to avoid confusion.

I've posted nothing about your students' grades, as well you know.

A case of seeing something that is not there if you want to look for it?

TalkinPeace · 30/10/2014 17:52

Wuzzup
in your own words
Discussing many faiths is confusing.
Maybe for your children but I would very much hope not for the children whose parents have higher expectations of their intellectual capacity.

The ability to see many viewpoints and evaluate them is an essential life skill in the modern world.

BigDorrit · 30/10/2014 17:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Poisonwoodlife · 30/10/2014 18:14

wuzzup I did not question my DDS' RE because when we discussed it they were clearly being facilitated to consider these issues themselves, as indeed we were hopefully doing, at home in debate around the dinner table. Education in it's widest sense is after all a partnership. If for one moment I thought they were only being educated about one point of view I would have been in there complaining. Not that their school could have ever got away with it with a diverse student population that, in just one DDs class, included many different faiths, born again Christian, African Evangelical, Muslim, Catholic (because of course the requirement for a faith education suddenly evaporates when it is a good school) Tamil Hindu, Chinese Buddhist and Sikh. In fact the only time I was a bit course was when her Christian RE teacher expressed cynicism about something she had written about her experience of Daoism, Chinese Buddhism and folk beliefs and the way that in large parts of Asia faith can be a bit of a matter of pick and mix between the three, and as much about community ritual as faith in a western sense. I expect a RE teacher to have some basic knowledge of the beliefs of a major world culture.

tobeabat · 30/10/2014 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 19:12

Its still only your opinion ofmy statement, many teachers if honest will know that my statement ( as you put in bold) is a realistic description of the situation in the main.

tobeabat · 30/10/2014 19:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wuzzup · 30/10/2014 19:17

Poisonwoodlife, that is your choice, and as far as I am concerned that is fine. If it works for you thats just great. Its just not my choice. My choices work for me.

SuburbanRhonda · 30/10/2014 19:18

Your comment about the lack of critical thinking ability amongst young people is as offensive as the OP's claim that it is the norm for teachers in community schools to mock students' religious beliefs.

Thankfully, no evidence for either, though.

Hakluyt · 30/10/2014 19:23

Can't decide whether I am being particularly thick or people are being particularly cryptic, but I have absolutely no idea what they last few posts mean. Hey ho.

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