Withdraw child from religious studies

[Parentofachild]

Hi!
I would like to find out about child withdrawal from religious studies in church school because I am not happy with the content they are teaching? Can you advice me if someone experienced it and are there any consequences? Thanks

What evidence do you have that the teacher taught your child that about animals? It would clearly be animal cruelty and therefore illegal.

Same sex relationships are legal in the UK and taught about as British Values (not just in in RE).

Are you relying on your child for this information or is it stated in the curriculum documents? I can’t imagine this interpretation is correct for any school’s teaching, RS or pshce, unless as a starting point for a debate.

😀

Also, last time I checked, humans are animals. Not vegetables or minerals.

Then I’m afraid you would be extremely hypocritical if you decided to pull out of the faith aspect. It won’t kill your child to attend, she might actually learn something useful after all - not least having some understanding, perhaps more than you do.

Pay for a private school if you don’t want the collective teachings of a state faith school, but are worried about behaviour and results of a regular comp. Is this a catholic school by any chance?

Private schools are also required to teach RS, pshce and have assemblies!

@Bigearringsbigsmile Then you are a massive hypocrite.
Let them join in the same lessons as everyone else.

You seem to forget that ca 1/3 of state-funded schools are religious, and most of those are allowed to discriminate in their admission criteria based on religion.

We would not accept this with any other kind of state-funded service, so why we accept it with education is beyond my comprehension. Can you imagine a hospital, funded by everyone's taxes, which gives priority to Christian patients? And no, the fact that churches sometimes own the land is not a justification - again, the same would never be accepted with hospitals.

Let's just say that a country which voted for Brexit and still has a monarchy is not renowned for the critical thinking skills of its people...

In an ideal word, state-funded religious schools would not exist.
In a less ideal world, there would be enough non-faith schools that the presence of faith schools wouldn't be a problem.

But the world we live in is neither ideal nor less than ideal, so sometimes parents will have to suck it up and send their kids to a faith school if it's the least worst option.

And no, it's not the religious ethos which makes them "better".
Humanist associations have long pointed out how faith schools tend to be more socially selective.

Just think of the London Oratory in Fuham, with 12% of kids on free school meals https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/137157/the-london-oratory-school/absence-and-pupil-population - the national average is 27%, and in other schools in the borough it's as high as 40%

Yes, but a faith school will teach things slightly differently, as is their prerogative.

What the OP wants is the excellent teaching that faith schools often have without paying for it but without buying into the overall ethos of the school.

@trynagenn Same sex relationships are legal in the UK and taught about as British Values (not just in in RE).

Very true. Unfortunately schools do not stress enough that most religions oppose fundamental British values, like same-sex relationships

How did your child get into a faith school if you are not religious?

It's important to learn the basic facts about different religions.
For example I know of people who think that Diwali is an Islamic festival (i use this as an example because it's Diwali soon).
I can't imagine they are only teaching about one faith.
Have you asked to look at the curriculum?

It sounds as though you have given your child what they should believe from a religious point of view and are unhappy with a faith school providing an alternative.
Children should receive information and develop the skills to come to their own view point about lots of things, religion being one.
If you don't believe that should be the case then perhaps withdraw your child from the faith school and have them educated elsewhere.

I think this would be a silly course of action for many reasons - just because you are taught about something and informed about something doesn’t mean it seeps into your soul and you become it.
Any knowledge of religion is interesting in building a well rounded understanding of the world.
youd be isolating your child,making them different all because you wanted to STOP them learning about something.
To be honest and it’s something I’ve never suggested on here ever before I think you are quite ignorant and if you believe you can impact a secondary school pupils education you are also controlling.

It's amazing how many people don't realise that often the only local school is a faith school.
Especially village primary schools. Many are CofE because the church opened them (for ALL children) years before the government funded state education.

Not a teacher but same sex marriage/homosexuality is a sin according to the bible, isn’t it?

Yes, let's shield kids from knowledge and understanding of other religions.

Sounds lie a great idea.

You never know what harm they'll get from pictures of blue elephant Gods or knowing what kosher means.

Next week book burning, yeah?

🙄

And all you lot thought this was a well meaning humanist

🤷‍♀️😂

So you chose a faith school and are now not happy aboutbthe faith they are teaching? Did you not think about this when choosing the school?
For a general non faiths school we teach about all the main religions and the beliefs they have but not stated at any time that these are fact and that people choose.

I’ve been an RE teacher for 30 years and am an examiner, what do you not agree with ?

You'll come across very badly. Are you really chosing to die on this hill.

Sex with animals is most definitely not mentioned ! Ffs

Homosexuality was very common in the ancient world. The issue comes from a quote in Leviticus which could have several meanings

@Lemonsugarpancake
How did your child get into a faith school if you are not religious?

@Ddakji What the OP wants is the excellent teaching that faith schools often have without paying for it but without buying into the overall ethos of the school.

I cannot speak for the OP, but I can tell you that what I would want is for everyone's taxes not to fund crucial services like education which discriminate based on religion.

What evidence do you have that faith schools are better, and that it's exactly their religious ethos which makes them better?

I have already made the example of the London Oratory. Is the fact that it takes so few kids on free school meals just an irrelevant coincidence? St John Bosco College, just south of the river from there, has kids coming from much poorer background and has terrible school results (on average, the top set may do well) with half the kids failing GCSE English or Maths https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/135762/saint-john-bosco-college/secondary/results-by-pupil-characteristics

How do you interpret this? Does the Oratory do better because it is "more" religious, whatever that means, or is the key difference the socio-economic background of the kids?

You might want to read https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/selective-comprehensives-2024/

https://humanists.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/faith-schools/

True but less so at secondary level

Guys - this person is religious and homophobic. She doesn’t want tolerance taught in RE. I think we can now decide what the circumstances are. Why are you all bending yourselves into pretzels to misinterpret what she’s saying to avoid this?