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Primary education

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Original poster

Primary school teacher imposing her opinions

137 replies

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 09:47

My son age 9, came home yesterday and told me that during their free reading time in class his substitute teacher had instructed everyone to pick a book of their choice but it had to be a non fiction so my son and his friend picked the bible, but they were later told to go and select a different book as the bible in her opinion would be classified as fiction my son and his friend disputed this as we are Christian and so is my son’s friend.
The teacher reaction to their disagreement was “there’s no proof whatsoever that the bible is real” so they were forced to pick different books.

I am absolutely furious about this!
aren’t teacher meant to remain impartial on topics such as religion and politics?
and is there anything I can do as a parent for there to be consequences as I find this unacceptable.

thank you for reading!

OP posts:
tripleginandtonic · 09/10/2025 12:44

It's a story book, she was right. That you believe those stories is neither here nor there

Megifer · 09/10/2025 12:46

InMyShowgirlEra · 09/10/2025 11:25

The Bible cannot be described as a non-fiction book and does not have any of the features of non-fiction books.

She was absolutely correct that there is no proof the Bible is real. I'm sure you would be equally annoyed if she handed out copies of the Quran and stated it was factual.

Your son was being facetious by picking out the Bible when instructed to read a non-fiction book.

Show quote history

My son is a god-botherer and absolutely believes the bible is non-fiction, so i wouldn't think op's DS was being facetious at all.

(I hope my DS will grow out of it btw)

Thortour · 09/10/2025 12:46

This didn’t happen.

freakingscared · 09/10/2025 12:55

But she is right , most of the bible is fictional , the same way Santa is fictional or unicorns . This is not about religion it’s about learning fiction from belief

freakingscared · 09/10/2025 12:57

PurpleThistle7 · 09/10/2025 11:59

am bemused there are multiple copies of the bible in a classroom ‘and’ that multiple 9 year olds would choose to read it. It’s not very fun to read…

but anyway I don’t think it should be an option and I definitely don’t think it would fulfill the brief as ‘non fiction’. I would personally call it fiction if we are being binary but probably best to just not try to classify it (in the library it wouldn’t be under either option)

I agree, probably be if those things that never happened

Tillow4ever · 09/10/2025 13:03

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Agree. Someone’s clearly bored.

QuickPeachPoet · 09/10/2025 13:06

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 12:16

mmmm ok I didnt realise I might have entered the Atheist communist mamas thread😅😂

Take this to the Christian MN board OP. You will get a really good overview on there.
MN in general hate religion

Gofaster2023 · 09/10/2025 13:08

mammabing · 09/10/2025 12:42

@InMyShowgirlEra I’m well aware of what the curriculum says but in OPs original post it said they were having ‘free reading time’. This implies they weren’t teaching English skills.
Also the teacher could’ve said “I’d like you to read a book with more nonfiction features” rather than “there’s no proof that’s real”

You realise that any time the kids have "free " time it is orchestrated by the teacher? Free reading meant, demonstrate to me that you can choose a book independently that meets what we have learned about non-fiction texts. Op's child and their friend failed to do that. There are many phrases the teacher could have used to make the same point and maybe they didnt pick the best, but I could imagine saying "thats a faith book, not a fact book". And to the previous poster who suggested complain and the teacher might not be invited back? I'm no Christian but I'm pretty certain Jesus didn't hope people trying to teach basic literacy skills to lose their livelihoods.

AlbionVs · 09/10/2025 13:11

Of course the bible is non-fiction? She was absolutely correct.
A child saying ‘well I believe fairies are real’ doesn’t get to read Rainbow Magic Fairies as their non-fiction. Nor a book about Santa Claus! Or more tangibly fact-wise, the books by RSPCA based on a true story. But the fact remains the bible is a non-fiction book. It’s a book of mythology, and believing in that mythology is of course fine, but you need to help DC understand that it’s a belief - not a fact.

Gofaster2023 · 09/10/2025 13:16

Although you have raised an interesting point. Maybe this is why people think of teaching as babysitting/childcare a lot of the time. Free play means, you have a choice but within my boundaries so I can observe, model, set expectations. Free reading means choose something within these parameters so i can assess you while you learn independently and inspire your own interests. It is a great way to assess understanding, gives children power over their own learning and experiences but does need to be guided. Clumsy wording from the teacher perhaps but they were simply trying to help your child.

ZoeCM · 09/10/2025 13:17

It is fiction, though. There's a talking snake right at the beginning. It says there was no death on Earth until the first humans appeared, meaning no animals (not even dinosaurs) went extinct before humans. It claims Mary got pregnant without contact with sperm. If a woman claimed nowadays to have spontaneously got pregnant, or to have met a talking snake on the way home from work, I don't think a single person would believe her.

ArtTheClownIsNotAMime · 09/10/2025 13:19

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 12:16

mmmm ok I didnt realise I might have entered the Atheist communist mamas thread😅😂

Easy to see where your son gets it from.

Gofaster2023 · 09/10/2025 13:19

ZoeCM · 09/10/2025 13:17

It is fiction, though. There's a talking snake right at the beginning. It says there was no death on Earth until the first humans appeared, meaning no animals (not even dinosaurs) went extinct before humans. It claims Mary got pregnant without contact with sperm. If a woman claimed nowadays to have spontaneously got pregnant, or to have met a talking snake on the way home from work, I don't think a single person would believe her.

Hahaha. I was trying to be diplomatic, but you nailed that response!

MNNnnn · 09/10/2025 13:20

He knew what she meant. You know what she meant. If indeed this happened as written, you should unclench, you'll be happier for it.

Original poster
Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 13:23

The fact that some people think I’m making this up is so bizarre…
anyways my intent wasn’t to debate other mums here on their views and opinions on this actual factuality of the bible.

just to mention also his usual teacher doesn’t have an issue with the children picking the bible as a non fiction as this is something my son would do once in a while.

And no my son is not thick someone mentioned this something very wrong for another mum to say something like this about a child , how weird…

i was more wanting to get advice on what to do next and measures that can be taken from the head as I know this brakes the impartiality rule.

Also is a Church of England school and aren’t we in a Christian nation.
I feel like there’s more and more extreme leftist coming into the education system is very troubling.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 09/10/2025 13:24

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 09/10/2025 12:11

Your DS was being a smartarse.

He knew exactly what she meant by nonfiction.

I might remind DS about Christian values. I vaguely remember Jesus saying something about loving neighbours. I'm not sure your son's behaviour falls into this category.

Quite
He was told to get a non fiction book and he did not do that
I wonder where he gets the smart ars attitude from?

Original poster
Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 13:25

@QuickPeachPoet
oh I see thank you for that yes I will xx

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 09/10/2025 13:26

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 12:16

mmmm ok I didnt realise I might have entered the Atheist communist mamas thread😅😂

Yeah, we are all pretty fond of reality here
If you prefer something else maybe check out what Erica Kirk is up to these days

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 09/10/2025 13:26

I don't think the bible should be classified as fiction or non fiction. It is a religious text.

The children were asked to choose a nonfiction book, so clearly the Bible wasn't an appropriate choice, and the teacher was perfectly reasonable to ask them to choose an alternative. If her request was worded in exactly the way the OP has described, I think that was inappropriate and misjudged.

She could have communicated the fact that the Bible isn't a nonfiction text without describing it as "fiction" or dismissing anyone's beliefs. However, we don't know for sure if this is what was actually said, or if she just explained, quite correctly, that the Bible doesn't count as a nonfiction book and the boys added their own embellishments to the story.

ZoeCM · 09/10/2025 13:31

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 13:23

The fact that some people think I’m making this up is so bizarre…
anyways my intent wasn’t to debate other mums here on their views and opinions on this actual factuality of the bible.

just to mention also his usual teacher doesn’t have an issue with the children picking the bible as a non fiction as this is something my son would do once in a while.

And no my son is not thick someone mentioned this something very wrong for another mum to say something like this about a child , how weird…

i was more wanting to get advice on what to do next and measures that can be taken from the head as I know this brakes the impartiality rule.

Also is a Church of England school and aren’t we in a Christian nation.
I feel like there’s more and more extreme leftist coming into the education system is very troubling.

I don't think only extreme leftists think the Bible is fiction, though. If someone posted on AIBU that their pet snake had insulted them, people would advise her to see a doctor. They wouldn't tell her to rehome her narcissistic snake. Even Christians are generally quite embarrassed by some of the claims made in the Bible and try to brush them off as metaphorical (which essentially means admitting they're untrue).

MagpiePi · 09/10/2025 13:35

I hope it was the King James version rather than some wishy-washy, dumbed down child-friendly version, then at least he would be exposed to some interesting language.

If this did even happen I would bet that there was a lot more to it than the boy and his friend simply picking up bibles and the teacher going off on one.

Snorlaxo · 09/10/2025 13:36

People think that you’re making it up because it sounds like a GB News story minus some sort of exception she made for the Qu’ran. Also suspicious that 2 boys chose the Bible.

While the teacher may be right about wanting the boys to read an actual non-fiction book, she was rude to say that the Bible is fiction to a 9 year old. Most adults don’t comment on other adult’s religion and would have rephrased the non-fiction requirement so that the boys picked something that fit the learning objective. While I agree with her pov, I would never have said it to your son and would have asked him to pick a book with diagrams or other non-fiction stuff.

Snorlaxo · 09/10/2025 13:40

I feel like there’s more and more extreme leftist coming into the education system is very troubling.

GB News will love quotes like that. Currently Leftists are very pro religions other than Judaism and Christianity to a lesser extent.

Mischance · 09/10/2025 13:52

Non fiction books are books containing information that is real. The bible does not fall into that category so the teacher was right.

ShadyPinesMa · 09/10/2025 15:35

Chichi444 · 09/10/2025 12:20

Thank you @ShadyPinesMa
flabbergasted…

No problem OP, but tbh I'm not surprised by the venom and bile you've received on here sadly.
On a parenting site populated by mostly grown women, yet I somehow just knew that you'd have people belittling your little boy. This place is unbelievable. He clearly has "no mind of his own" because he wanted to read with his friend… he’s obviously "being facetious" because, of course, a Christian wouldn’t ever choose to pick up a bible to read without an ulterior motive 👀
The person above you even saying "maybe he's thick" and relaying an obviously made up story about her stroll around a skate park…

I honestly think you were doomed from the very beginning, looking on here for a fair response…and as soon as you mentioned Christianity and the bible you really sealed your fate 😁