God and science!

[debs40]

Ok, here's a problem. My son's state infant school which is not a faith school but has alot of Christians attending has started teaching 'God created the earth and then there was light etc etc' as part of the 'light and dark' science topic ....science!

He is in Yr 1 and came home telling me all about it today. There was nothing to suggest this was taught as part of a discussion on theories about how the world came into being. It was taught as fact.

If this is right, this cannot be a legitimate way to teach a science topic can it? I wondered why the local evangelical church had adopted this school!

I say that in science, we deal with scientific methods. Commenting on the truth or otherwise of religious beliefs isn't what we do in science lessons.

Absolutely Fallen Madonna.

The poster my friend saw in the other class was about 'light and dark'. It has the sun, planets, a torch, ADAM and EVE and the words 'God created the earth'.

This seems a pretty clear link between science and religion.

My friend and her husband saw the Head today who greeted them wearing a large crucifix and said that the school was a 'very strong Christian community' but that they must have got it wrong and the teacher would have said 'some people believe that God created the earth'.

However, she also said if they didn't like, they should take their son out. My friend is a primary school teacher so she asked for a copy of the plan ofr RE and science. The RE plan had no mention of any other religion.

I really feel sickened by this but I'm trying to remain calm. I am going to ask to see my son's teacher tonight to ask her what was said. But how these comments ever made it in to the 'light and dark' topic seems very strange. Unless you are very clear, then children are going to take these comments as fact so why bother? I can only conclude that they wanted the children to accept these theories.

I am SO angry. Thanks for all your posts!

Take their son out of school? A non faith school?

debs it is outrageous to suggest they take their son out!
Note all that has been said and seen..
Letter to the governors....

What a shocking story. Debs40 please keep us posted on how you get on. Good luck!

Well, here's the update.

My son's teacher is actually the RE coordiantor! She says that the creation theory was taught as part of RE by a power point presentation on her pc to fit in with the science topic of light and dark.

She says it is my son who is confused and that he has not understood it was taught as an 'incidental' - he is 5 so I wonder why he is confused?!

She told me that they teach other religions and always prefaces it with 'some people are christians and some people are of other faiths and some people don't believe anything'.

I have my son and his friend in the house for tea. I've just asked them about the video and they are both adamant that nothing was said about other religions or the creation theory being something some people believe.

Also she says this was in a lesson last Thursday. The Head told my friend today that this comment was made in an assembly last Tuesday.

They were all very nice but I don't believe them!

I've just asked the LEA for copies of the guidance to schools on RE.

Well done, Debs, you sound very moderate about this.

I teach light and dark as a science topic in yr 1. We have schemes of work outlining what we should teach. Creativity does not actually come into it. From what you have said, it seems like the teacher has taken it upon herself to cover this.

MMm, I think her line is that she taught it as part of RE and the topic just happened to touch on light and dark as well. My son just made the connection.

Yet....in the other Year 1 classroom, there is a big poster on light and dark which links torches and God!

I'm seeing the Head on Friday!

That's tomorrow. Good luck (or God bless ;) )and keep us posted.

Hi

Thanks for asking.

Very difficult meeting with a very difficult head. I so wanted her to be open and approachable (she is new) and concede at least that this could have been taught more objectively. She was very politely aggressive asking whether I was calling the teacher a liar and saying it was my own son's fault for making this connection. They can't control his thought processes after all!!

When I challenged her on having an open mind to concerns raised and looking at whether there was scope for improvement as most organisations did, she did admit that the 'light and dark' poster had now been amended to say 'Christians believe God created the earth.. what do you think?'. I think they must feel this was a bit obvious!However, although this might cover their back, the lesson has already been taught to children and teachers altered the posters.

I spoke to her about my concern about sensitivity in connection with the creation story and its link to science. She said nothing.

I suggetsed they teach RE with a background lesson on faith itself and the difference between it and fact. She said they did this. They don't.

The galling and actually slightly hurtful thing is, she arranged for the school nurse to attend at the end of the meeting to discuss a care plan which was in place for my son when he started reception and kept on having toilet accidents. He hasn't had any for ages and I thought it a little insensitive.

She also showed me my son's book and pencil which he had chewed and asked whether he was happy at school as she was worried he was anxious.

I was veyr polite througouht but I actually thought that was abit off. Don't you??

I feel gutted. I had high hopes for a friendly meeting and it wasn't. It was a put up with it or get lost meeting. Where do I go now?

It doesn't sound like you got a satisfactory explanation at all. It seems she'd already discussed it with the teacher and knew what to expect and what answers to give. I'd say keep going in everytime your DS comes up with something he's "misunderstood". If he's always getting the wrong end of the stick then they aren't teaching the topic properly. "They can't control his thought processes after all!!" Just shows how vulnerable young children are and how easy to take as fact things said by an authoritative figure.

Also, totally uncalled for to bring the nurse in to discuss issues unrelated to the meeting itself.