[migratory birds]

While visiting administrators of several public schools (do you call them "state schools"?) on both Islands, it sounds like there is a time within the curriculum for the teaching of Christianity. Some schools bring in a volunteer to teach while others don't do anything with that 30 min/week. In schools where there are Religious Ed teachers, it sounded like kids have the option of attending or not.

I was very surprised to learn this is still a part of public schooling in the country.

Not clear on details though - is it still part of the curriculum but is being phased out? Or has it been phased out but some schools still offer it?

What's happening in your kids' schools?

Is it more common in small town schools? Less common in larger city schools where the religious practises/beliefs are more diverse (Christian, Buddhist, Muslim kids in one school)?

[thezorbster]

Not sure whether it's part of the curriculum or not but my daughter's school offers a weekly 1/2 hr religious education session that is definitely Christian based. You can opt out if you want. There have been complaints from some parents that in these days it should be more encompassing of other religions but currently it focuses on Christianity. I have in fact been very surprised at the level of Christianity in the area and the number of people around here who do attend church as church attendance is plummeting in the UK.

[Tia Maria]

So far my son (age 6) hasn't been taught anything on a formal level, but he did come home and tell me that 'Jesus killed the easter bunny' and when I asked 'what makes you say that?', he said 'that's what everyone is saying in the Playground, so it must be true'.

Cheers

Tia

[dharder]

What's happening in your kids' schools?

Well, they have some bible studies volunteers here, but that kind of religious education is voluntary and only up to Year 3. Since it is called bible study, I presume it is exlusively christian.

They boys had religious education (also christian, and protestant/lutheran in this case) in Germany, and when I asked them at some point what they did, they said 'We're doing the bible at the moment'. I thought that was so sweet, since obviously used to their east London multi cultural (actually, predominantly muslim) school, they assumed you do all religions in turn.

But the boys normally declare quite loudly that they have no idea why anyone believes in anything that clearly isn't true (I overheard them once in the garden in London arguing with their little friend that 'there is no god I don't care if you call him allah or whatever') anyway, so I don't think it really matters what kind of religious ed they attend.

Daniela

[Sam B]

In my kids' school (medium sized rural school outside Cambridge), the older years (4-6) get a "Bible in Schools" lesson once a week, taught by someone from the local church. I ticked a box on the enrollment form to opt out of this, but I also had to remind the teacher after the first week, as they hadn't noticed the tick. At first, my daughter was the only one to opt out, but gradually her friends started to join her ( they must have told their parents that Poppy was allowed not to go so could they stop too).

Poppy described one of the lessons to me (her friend told her what she had done) - they had to colour in a picture of Jesus on the cross in felt tips and the best one won a postcard of the horses statue outside Cambridge town hall. So she's clearly not missing any quality teaching!

I would have no objection to her attending a religious studies lesson which taught about all religions, but this is not offered. It annoys me that only one religion is promoted in schools here, and the teachers are not qualified either.

[ourquest]

It annoys me that only one religion is promoted in schools here, and the teachers are not qualified either.

I agree, but this would be a difficult one to get around, wouldn't it? Can you imagine a teacher (raised as a Christian) willingly teaching children about (Buddhism)?! And it is hard for children who learn one set of beliefs at school to learn a different set of beliefs at home. But at the same time this will open their minds to the diversity of beliefs that actually exist. Perhaps this is ultimately better than rigidly enforcing only one on any particular child? I think so, but I am sure that anyone immersed in their specific religion might disagree.

Understanding that there are atheists also, my own approach (for what it's worth) would be to be thankful that there is some spiritual grounding, irrespective of the set of guidelines it is taught in. That having been said, I am certainly not sure that an emphasis on the specifics of the religion (ie Christ in the case of Christianity) is making the best use of these lessons...teaching broader spiritual concepts like forgiveness, love, growth etc would be far more appropriate, and mostly applicable to all faiths.

[dharder]

I agree, but this would be a difficult one to get around, wouldn't it? Can you imagine a teacher (raised as a Christian) willingly teaching children about (Buddhism)?!

I think a religious education teacher in a public/state school should teach every religion, willingly or not. Personal convictions of that kind have, in my opinion, precious little room in a publicly funded school. But at the school here were my children go, they are not teachers but volunteers from the community, so I don't expect the same 'neutrality' from them. However, it would be nice if they found volunteers from the muslim, jewish, etc community as well to talk about their beliefs.

And it is hard for children who learn one set of beliefs at school to learn a different set of beliefs at home.

In that case, I find it even more important that the school teaches various religions and beliefs so the children are exposed to a variety of belief systems.

I don't like the idea that they teach only christianity, but I think that as a cultural reference in the western world, learning about the bible has its uses even in completely non-religious contexts.

Daniela

[Jo Jo]

I agree, but this would be a difficult one to get around, wouldn't it? Can you imagine a teacher (raised as a Christian) willingly teaching children about (Buddhism)?! And it is hard for children who learn one set of beliefs at school to learn a different set of beliefs at home. But at the same time this will open their minds to the diversity of beliefs that actually exist. Perhaps this is ultimately better than rigidly enforcing only one on any particular child? I think so, but I am sure that anyone immersed in their specific religion might disagree.


When I was at school (in the UK) we were taught about all the major religions in Religious Education - and our RE teacher was a practising Christian. I remember finding the lessons fascinating - the form the lessons took was to compare and constrast the religions, looking at what the common themes are, and what differences there are. The lessons weren't judgmental at all, i.e. we weren't told that one religion was better than another. So it can work.

But I strongly disagree with religion being promoted in school. I think children should be taught about all major religions in school, or none (with my preference being the former as I think ignorance leads to prejudice).

[Oregonkiwi]

This might help clarify things:

http://www.teamup.co.nz/secondary/about/Schools+responsibilities+to+parents.htm#Religious_ education

Religious education

The law requires New Zealand state primary schools to offer secular (non-religious) education. School boards may choose, however, to allow volunteers to provide a limited amount of religious instruction at school. Attendance during religious instruction is optional and you can write to the school to tell them if you do not wish your child to take part.

State integrated schools may offer religious instruction as part of their special characters.

It's extra-curricular and completely optional.

[Familyofmonkeys]

I would have no objection to her attending a religious studies lesson which taught about all religions, but this is not offered. It annoys me that only one religion is promoted in schools here, and the teachers are not qualified either.

These are my concerns also. What I do have a problem with is 'collective worship'. I don't believe this has any place in schools...it is forcing young children to do an act that they do not fully understand and it indoctrinates them before they have an chance of developing their own sets of beliefs based on a well rounded education of different religions.

[Sam B]

And whilst it's supposedly extra-curricular and optional, it is right in the middle of the school day, and there is no alternative lesson offered. My daughter has to sit in the staffroom for the duration and read a book.