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Original poster

atheists/agnostics - how do you cope with the Christian slant in primary schools?

52 replies

geekgrrl · 27/05/2004 11:41

I'm curious how other non-believers deal with this. Dh is a passionate atheist, I just don't care much either way. We have both been brought up as atheists. Dd (nearly 5) attends a state primary school. She went to a Catholic school for a term and of course there was a strong focus on Catholicism, which is fair enough! We moved her because she was being bullied, not because of the religious aspect.
However, I have been surprised and dismayed by how much focus there is on Christianity at the state school she attends. She prays daily and really believes in god now it seems. To be honest I am a bit freaked out by this - she is being indoctrinated. I don't want to upset her so I don't get into discussions with her, but dh feels strongly about it all and we had a bit of an upset before Easter when she was the only child who didn't attend the Easter service at the village church (dh didn't want her to).
I want dd to know about the different religions, she has a children's bible etc., but I really dislike the way it's being taught as 'the truth', rather than something some people choose to believe.
The Easter church visit had been stressing dd out for weeks because her teacher had said they were going to 'praise the lord' - dd was in tears saying 'I don't know how to praiselord mummy!'. Took me ages to work out what on earth she was on about! I just wish they could keep religion out of schools. I don't even want her to go to Brownies now because she'll just get another dose of it there.
I'm really happy with the school otherwise and don't want to rock the boat, but how can I provide a counterweight at home?

OP posts:
Batteryhuman · 02/04/2010 15:04

I agree with Riven. Religion in my (catholic) school made me an aetheist.

My DSs all found their own way and have stopped believing in god at about the same time they stopped believing in santa and the tooth fairy.

I hope from their study of comparative religion in school they learn to respect other peoples beliefs and find joy in the music, art and language of religions.

Their republicanism has got them into more trouble in school though! Not showing due respect for Queenie didn't go down well.

posieparker · 02/04/2010 15:10

As a strictly atheist household I am more than happy that my children get a religious insight into life through their Catholic school...my only complaint as I don't get nearly enough attention for my four children, well so many large families!!!

Actually they have been in private school, before and I honestly think the reason these Catholic Primary schools do soooo well is meditation(in the form of prayer) that they have to do three times a day. I think it draws focus and readiness.

seeker · 02/04/2010 15:21

But I hqave no choice about whether my children pray in school or not. Even the Christians can't think that's right, can they? Surely you don't think it's a good idea to force your faith on people?

posieparker · 02/04/2010 15:27

What's really the harm in prayer? thinking of us, being grateful....it doesn't have to be about giving your soul or putting faith into an omnipotent being, it can just be about thinking and calm.

posieparker · 02/04/2010 15:28

As for indoctrination, I completely disagree.

sarah293 · 02/04/2010 15:32

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MmeBlueberry · 02/04/2010 15:44

No one can force your children to pray or not pray. It is totally up to them.

"I stand at the door and knock". It is up to the individual as to whether they open the door. Nothing is forced.

I truly think that anyone who has a problem withe religion in school that it is actually their problem rather than the school's.

HeavyMetalGlamourRockStar · 02/04/2010 15:58

Yes Christianity is about love, gentleness, self control etc - that would be why we've never associated war with religion. Ahem

seeker · 02/04/2010 15:59

I DON"T have a problem with my children learing about religion at school - I do have a problem with them being asked to pray.

How would you feel if your children were taught to say every day that God does not exist? Or, as I said earlier, to light Beltane fires, or pray to Allah facing Mecca?

CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 16:15

For those who may have missed it and have several hours to spare, there's a big ol' thread on religion in schools here

CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 16:22

I don't feel comfortable about Christian worship in primaries.

I think the question of how you would feel if your child, by law, was made to feel obliged to worship something other than what you believe in is a very valid one.

seeker · 02/04/2010 16:28

And it's a question that Christians will never answer, Cider!

posieparker · 02/04/2010 16:41

I am curious about what harm it does.....

Do your dcs come home screaming heathen? Do they call you liars because you don't believe?

I assume that when my dcs learn about the world they will leave any notion of God behind, if they do or don't it matters not in thsi house.

CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 16:50

lol I don't know Posie, quite possibly!

I think 4 years of age is too young to make sense of worship of any sort, so the educational aspects of it are prone to becoming confused. It's also too young to make a decision about whether or not they want to worship, let alone what or who, so for that reason alone I think it is wrong.

CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 16:51

When I say 'quite possibly' I mean that quite possibly I'll be called a heathen by my DC at some point in the future!

sarah293 · 02/04/2010 16:59

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CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 17:10

Actually I think what pre-schools and primaries seem to do now in terms of emphasising 'being kind' and 'helping others' is far more in the spirit of Christianity than standing around singing hymns or reciting the Lord's Prayer.

posieparker · 02/04/2010 17:15

Cider, I don't believe and really don't mind a mild bit of religion...

MmeBlueberry · 02/04/2010 17:15

You can't force anyone to worship. It's just not possible. Worship/praise/prayer has to come from the heart and there is only one person who can control this (hint: it is neither the teacher nor the parent*.

CiderIUpAndSetIFree · 02/04/2010 17:30

The thing is, if it happens at school you don't get much sense of whether it's a 'mild' bit of religion or a full-on evangelical dose.

It's potentially emotionally charged to teach a very young child that a man up in the sky is watching them everywhere they go, and is certainly open to misinterpretation by the child.

I'd rather not have my child taught that at school, especially as it's difficult to discuss as I won't have been there when the teacher (or whoever) said it.

seeker · 02/04/2010 17:37

I didn't say it does any harm necessarily, but neither would worshipping the Goddess and lighting Beltane Fires - and I'm sure there would be an outcry if children were asked to do this at school!

AbricotsSecs · 02/04/2010 17:46

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bruffin · 02/04/2010 18:20

This thread is 6 years old!

posieparker · 02/04/2010 18:30

6 years old...my God!

Just out of interest how many of the atheists posting here went to school in this country with, presumably, the same level of religious worship as their children? It's really a non issue.

AbricotsSecs · 02/04/2010 19:02

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