Religion In school - How would you deal with this?

[Bitlost]

My DD (7) is just back from a residential course with school. On the first night, when the teachers announced "Prayer time", my DD stayed put ( We're atheists). The children in her room singled her out for not saying prayers, kept telling her she was a Christian, that Jesus sacrificed himself for us etc.... It got so bad that DD went to get a member of staff, who asked DD's friends to stop and they did.

I'm annoyed that DD has been subjected to this but can live with it. DD's a strong minded girl.

I do feel however that I should have a word with her teacher and see if the school could teach the children about atheism and reinforce the notion of tolerance, which has clearly gone over some children's heads... DH says to leave it and that I'll look like I'm making a fuss over nothing.

We go to a non faith school by the way. Not that this should make any difference.

Bojorojo you write that Christians are taught to love their neighbour but that You only have to look on Mumsnet to see how intolerant most aethiests are towards religion and the kids copy their parents attitude.

There are plenty of Christians with intolerant attitudes (such as your opinion of "most atheists", which I have not found to be the case). Just look at the Christians who voted for Trump.

Tolerance and kindness should be human values; they are not correlated with the followers of any particular religion.

OP I would be upset if this happened, and I think it would be worth talking to the school. In particular, they should be thinking carefully about what happens at bedtime with such young children, who could easily get upset.

British Values has nothing to do with the daily act of worship. The daily act of worship is a requirement in ALL schools and the RE curriculum is laid down and agreed as a result of all churches and faiths coming together. Of course, "worship" can be very toned down and this is often the case in non religious schools and rightly so.

It is relevant regarding a child normally being withdrawn from the daily act of worship. If this little girl is not normally present during the school's form of worship, she may be totally unaware of what takes place and that some children are religious. Therefore, it seems to me, children who have a very strong sense of Christianity have given their views. They are not right to do this, but sometimes children do not do the right thing! She should not have been made to feel uncomfortable and this is wrong, but I can see how it may occur. Of course anaethiests may express strong views too. Tolerance and understanding other peope's psition is the best way forward and these other children may not have understood the upset they caused. This can easily be countered by the school but you can never rule out strong voices - on both sides.

Just to counter the British Values thing it actually means nothing of the sort that is mentioned upthread. Britain's religion is CofE and so it is to teach religion.

Completely wrong.
'British Values' - otherwise known as don't be an arse- are things like tolerating different beliefs and helping people. Naff all to do with the actual teaching of religion.

All school have to cover this and will be picked up by OFSTED if they don't. Schools should have posters etc showing 'British Values' in every classroom.

it seems to me, children who have a very strong sense of Christianity have given their views

It seems highly improbable that the rest of the group of seven year olds at a non-faith school in 21st century Britain would have 'a strong sense of christianity'. Maybe one or two did (but had somehow forgotten or not understood the parable all good christian children surely know, the Good Samaritan) and the rest just joined in, ganging up? But whatever the reasons, this was bullying.

You only have to look on Mumsnet to see how intolerant most aethiests are towards religion and the kids copy their parents attitude.

Thats not true. I am aethiest. Dc2 goes to a church school. I am inclined to let him join in and we discuss religion at home. He knows my beliefs, and also that, when armed with the facts, he is free to make up his own mind about what he believes.

The vast majority of atheists I've come across are of the view (on mn and irl) that you teach children about religions, try to teach them to think but don't teach them what to think. There is zero interest in setting up any sort of atheist school, with priority given to the children of non believers, even if that might help address the problem of unfair admissions.

Wtf? You are not making a fuss about nothing at all, OP. I'd be bloody furious. Definitely have a word with the teacher. (And I'm not saying that because I'm into teacher-bashing - I am a teacher in fact.)

Umm - I did not write that claraschu!

I thought the only possible explanation of children talking about religion in the way they did must be because they had strong convictions! What other explanation is there ? Very odd I agree. I would assume they are all very strange.

You cannot assume religious children are only educated in religious schools and evangelists can be everywhere! People choose schools for all sorts of reasons and community schools are not non faith! They have a daily act of worship and this is good enough for some people. Clearly these children have picked up their beliefs from their parents as do aethiests.
I and my family have no great interest in any of it. Religious bullying is wrong as it would be if a child kept asserting aethiest views to children who have been taught to believe in Jesus. It works both ways.

Best way out is silence!

bojorojo I am VERY VERY sorry, and you are absolutely right. Campfire is the person who wrote that, and I am an idiot to say it was you.

some schools openly state that they teach British Values by the very fact their intake is British and their teaching staff are British

I'd like to see them try telling Ofsted that!

"I'd like to see them try telling Ofsted that!" I'd like to see them telling Ofsted they don't teach British values https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/nov/27/schools-england-promote-british-valueses*^