is a school allowed to do this?

[nonreligiousmummy]

My 2 children go to a CofE school. I have no choice in this because it is the only school we can get to. I am very unreligious (sorry) but obviously being a CofE school they have religious stories. I hate this but know that unless I change schools (impossible) I have to put up with it. If I had my way they would not be taught religious studies.

The thing I am happy about is the fact that ds has come home from school on two different occasions now, and said that they were taken to church that day. We (the parents) had no letter or anything to tell us that this would be happening or to ask our permission. Can the school do this? Just take our kids off like that without us knowing? I think its a bit out of order. I don't know what to do. Thanks.

So do I as it happens. I think it is important to know about religion. I don't think anyone should have to face the issue of their kid being taught myths as facts, though.

Aloha: Again, the kind of teaching you think is happening is not happening.

I went to two RC schools, and believe me, the nuns didn't mention condoms or homosexuals once. I don't think they even knew what they were.

And Catholic birth rates in Europe are no different to non-Catholic birth rates. There is a big difference between the teachings of the Vatican and the beliefs of the average Catholic.

Jampots, to answer your question about why a non-christian family would want their child to go to a CofE school: because it's the nearest school, it is small and friendly, and his playgroup friends were going there. And as I pay the same taxes as a Christian, why shouldn't my DS go to his nearest school?

aloha, unfortunately you do rather mingle your dislike of religion generally with your argument against state funded religious schools. i have a lot of sympathy with the latter argument, as you know. but i do find your language against religion generally, especially rc, inflammatory and provocative - and that is not the same as a reasoned argument against the state funding of religious schools. big difference.

surely its up to the parents to soften the edges of any religious teachings they dont believe. My children and I are RC but dd has announced that she doesnt entirely agree with all the teachings - to me that's her decision to come up with. Ive done my bit and she's worked her own views out for herself

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BK, it is probably the case that if I didn't find so much of religion so abhorrent, I probably wouldn't feel quite so strongly against the state funding of church schools. I do dislike religion, it is true. I don't really understand why anyone would believe. I know people do, and I know nice and intelligent people do, and have done throughout history, back as far as humanity with different gods, but I really cannot get my head around it. It is utterly incomprehensible to me. However, I do oppose the state funding of church schools for other reasons apart from my dislike of all religions.

Aloha I find it incomprehensible that people don't believe. But I regard them with with a sort of kind curiousity, rather than OUTRIGHT OFFENSE!

Oh and I don't dislike atheism. I feel sorry for it.

Great Achievements of Atheist Cultures:
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But I don't feel kindly towards discrimination against people on the grounds of their sexuality, for example. And that's a huge part of many religions. I think it's appalling. As bad as racism. And I don't feel kindly about that either.

Well I don't dislike religion, I find it endlessly fascinating, though I am a total atheist. But I disagree with the state funding of religious schools as well, on the basis that the state should simply not be funding children being taught a fiercely contested opinion as if it were the truth, and then allowing those schools who do this to exclude children whose parents don't go along with this fiercely contested opinion. It just goes against all justice and commonsense.

That's just silly. Many of the greatest geniuses have had no religion.

religion isnt like racism. Racism is a belief that one particular race is better than the next. Religion isnt like that necessarily

Aloha: But we've only 'discovered' the equality of gay people in the last 30 years, as a culture - before that it was illegal! It's hardly surprising if some religious traditions (which have been going for thousands of years) are not in immediate agreement?

Off to bed. Night night! xx

Church schools teach other subjects apart from RE! Its the basic ethos of the school that is christian.

Jampots - that's why non-Christian families want their kids to go to them. Because they know they teach other subjects than RE, and because they happen to be round the corner. The outrage is that some children aren't allowed to go to them even when they are just round the corner, because their parents don't go to church on Sundays.

but are non-church kids not allowed to go to them ? I agree it could help guarantee a place but surely they cant turn them away purely because they dont go to church? I just think if one feels so strongly about religion that they should vote with their feet

Jampots, they can and do. Certainly that is the case around where I live.
I don't blame religious people for taking advantage of a system that is weighted in their favour, I just don't think the system is right or fair.

What am I doing??? I am supposed to be working. Dammit.

it is outrageous caligula and aloha, i totally agree

That's the point jampots - if you don't feel particularly strongly about it, you can't vote with your feet about your child not getting into the nearest school to you.

My DS goes to the CofE school round the corner even though I don't go to church, but a couple of other kids who also applied, who live just as near, didn't get in, because there are only a few spaces for children whose parents don't go to church. So their kids have to go to a school two miles away, which involves having to use a car or bus to get them there, while other children who live six or seven miles away, are given preference over them simply because their parents go to church. There's no question of my neighbours being able to vote with their feet - they don't have a vote.

aloha, what you need is a commission to write about religious schools: right or wrong?

flamin hell-i go away for a bit and look what happens?!?!

and the answer to my original question is???????????

"God-botherers"

"does effectively remove the children of chaotic homes and replaces them with the offspring of organised and desperate middle-class parents."

Sorry these too really upset me. I'm not a "God-botherer" (whatever you may define that as) I'm a Christian who seeks to live my life as a Christian, doesn't mean I go round 'preaching' to all and sunder, mearly that I always 'try' act like a Christian should.

And the 2nd comment - what a JOKE! I can tell you straight off that many of the children at our local CoE school certainly do NOT come from 'organised and desperate(?) middle class families'. Some of the families I know (us included LMAO) are completely disorganised and most certainly NOT middle class - more like working class!

The RC primary school in our town is even more 'extreme' - a lot of their children come from one of the 'roughest' estates in the town and as such are often, dirty horrible little brats with no discipline at home at all!

Oh, I probably wouldn't do it! I couldn't cope with the hate mail! Wrote about dummies once - very gently pro - and the nasty things people said, you wouldn't believe. I'll stick to stuff like where Jemima Kahn goes on holiday, thanks. I am sorry I offended you. it's the heated nature of the thread. I probably get a bit carried away.