Parents win right to have prayer-free assemblies in school
Discussion
“Two parents who challenged compulsory religious worship in school assembly have won the right for a secular alternative for their children.
A Church of England multi-academy said it would allow the children to withdraw from the assembly and prayers, it was confirmed on Wednesday.”
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/20/...
And
https://inews.co.uk/news/education/church-of-engla...
Surely this is 30 years overdue?
Even as a child at primary school in the 80’s I thought it was completely and utterly mental that we all had to sit there with our eyes closed muttering words to an imaginary friend.
Aged 8, I genuinely thought all the adults were mentally defective in some way for making us do something that was clearly nonsense.
That aside, with more than 53% of the population declaring themselves as having ‘no religion’, it’s seems crackers that we still make kids pray and sing hymns.
At least now there is the option to simply say you don’t want the Church of England to attempt brainwashing?
I think children should be taught about religion in schools, and that it’s an important area of knowledge, but I draw the line at making them act it out.
A Church of England multi-academy said it would allow the children to withdraw from the assembly and prayers, it was confirmed on Wednesday.”
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/20/...
And
https://inews.co.uk/news/education/church-of-engla...
Surely this is 30 years overdue?
Even as a child at primary school in the 80’s I thought it was completely and utterly mental that we all had to sit there with our eyes closed muttering words to an imaginary friend.
Aged 8, I genuinely thought all the adults were mentally defective in some way for making us do something that was clearly nonsense.
That aside, with more than 53% of the population declaring themselves as having ‘no religion’, it’s seems crackers that we still make kids pray and sing hymns.
At least now there is the option to simply say you don’t want the Church of England to attempt brainwashing?
I think children should be taught about religion in schools, and that it’s an important area of knowledge, but I draw the line at making them act it out.
I used to attend religious assemblies but when I moved to cardiff assemblies became optional I found it quite amazing. I used to get dirty looks off the teacher for refusing to go as I all others in my class who opted out were Muslim.
RE lessons were also a bible class in my previous school and I hated it. Completely different again in cardiff. It was actually quite interesting learning about religions around the world.
RE lessons were also a bible class in my previous school and I hated it. Completely different again in cardiff. It was actually quite interesting learning about religions around the world.
Lord Marylebone said:
Even as a child at primary school in the 80’s I thought it was completely and utterly mental that we all had to sit there with our eyes closed muttering words to an imaginary friend.
Could you not just sit there quietly and let those that wanted to do it, do it? That's what I did. Lord Marylebone said:
Even as a child at primary school in the 80’s I thought it was completely and utterly mental that we all had to sit there with our eyes closed muttering words to an imaginary friend.
Aged 8, I genuinely thought all the adults were mentally defective in some way for making us do something that was clearly nonsense.
I'm not sure what the best way is to introduce the good news about our Lord Jesus Christ but it certainly didn't work on me. I'm not really sure how you make someone religious.Aged 8, I genuinely thought all the adults were mentally defective in some way for making us do something that was clearly nonsense.
On first being dragged into a church I had no idea who the prick in the dress was talking gibberish about someone I'd never heard of and indeed the lord's prayer in assemblies was a fine opportunity to drift off to sleep.
It's important in the sense that it was the foundation of our society for many centuries. Best left to history lessons though.
Pothole said:
Were the parents forced to send the children to a CofE academy?
They aren’t.But with the Church of England controlling more than 25% of all Primary schools and more than 200 secondary schools, the parents might not have much of a choice if it is their nearest school or one with places available.
If the Church of England 100% funded their own schools, I would say they could do what they wanted. ‘Their gaff their rules’ etc.
But they now fund less than 10% of the cost of ‘their’ schools, with over 90% coming from councils and the government.
The C of E spends a minuscule £15 million per year on funding schools, out of the total schools budget of £42 Billion, or around %0.035 if you look at it like that.
My opinion is that if the C of E want kids to say prayers, then they can wholly fund their own schools.
The same goes for any school that enforces religious participation.
Pothole said:
Were the parents forced to send the children to a CofE academy?
Surely this!My daughter started school this year, our closest school is a Catholic one, we are not religious so haven’t sent her there.
Sending your child to a religious school then complaining about the religious aspects seems a bit weird.
Butter Face said:
Pothole said:
Were the parents forced to send the children to a CofE academy?
Surely this!My daughter started school this year, our closest school is a Catholic one, we are not religious so haven’t sent her there.
Sending your child to a religious school then complaining about the religious aspects seems a bit weird.
Our now predominantly non-religious population are paying for the Church of England, and the Catholic Church (amongst others) to run local schools as though they were part of their own church.
If they want to run these schools as though they are part of the church, that’s fine, but they should wholly fund the schools themselves, which we know will never happen.
Things will continue to go the other way (as they are doing) until we end up where the churches contribute nothing financially yet still expect the kids to say their prayers, which I disagree with.
Pothole said:
Were the parents forced to send the children to a CofE academy?
Johnnytheboy in "agrees with Pothole" shocker!Aged 15, a friend and I declared ourselves Zen Buddhist to get out of assemblies.
Initially a teacher sat with us in one of those science lab side-rooms while we made a show of discussing Zen texts, but they soon gave up and we got left alone. IIRC they ran our choice past our parents, who were like "whatever..."
ATG said:
Not just weird to complain about it but rather hysterical. How hard is it for an atheist parent to tell their child "some people believe this stuff and some people don't". I've had that conversation with a four year old without any problem.
YOu're assuming the request didn't come from the kids, having to watch stuff like the nativity and other twaddle. And the kids didn't have an alternative, the school has now put on an alternative. THat's hysterical?ATG said:
Not just weird to complain about it but rather hysterical. How hard is it for an atheist parent to tell their child "some people believe this stuff and some people don't". I've had that conversation with a four year old without any problem.
This is true, but when they're made to sit through a load of nonsense every week they start to push back.
Exactly, I did.Butter Face said:
Pothole said:
Were the parents forced to send the children to a CofE academy?
Surely this!My daughter started school this year, our closest school is a Catholic one, we are not religious so haven’t sent her there.
Sending your child to a religious school then complaining about the religious aspects seems a bit weird.
It has a large number of Muslim children attending
Every now and then one of the Muslim parents kicks off about the assemblies and religious education in the school
My friend merely points out to them that they have chosen to send their children to a Roman Catholic School and they are free to withdraw their children and send them to the nearby (failing) state primary
At that point the conversation tends to end
Both my wife and I are atheist, we had a church wedding to keep the families happy.
Our kids went to a CofE primary, we had to lie about going to church to get them in.
Why? because it was the best school for them. The fact the learned about a relatively harmless and innocuous religion at the same time was a bonus and later as adults they make their own minds up.
If you send your kids to a school tied to a religion don't moan about it.
On the other hand... send you kids to a secular school and find out they are being told to say "grace" before school dinners....????
Our kids went to a CofE primary, we had to lie about going to church to get them in.
Why? because it was the best school for them. The fact the learned about a relatively harmless and innocuous religion at the same time was a bonus and later as adults they make their own minds up.
If you send your kids to a school tied to a religion don't moan about it.
On the other hand... send you kids to a secular school and find out they are being told to say "grace" before school dinners....????
21TonyK said:
Both my wife and I are atheist, we had a church wedding to keep the families happy.
Our kids went to a CofE primary, we had to lie about going to church to get them in.
Why? because it was the best school for them. The fact the learned about a relatively harmless and innocuous religion at the same time was a bonus and later as adults they make their own minds up.
If you send your kids to a school tied to a religion don't moan about it.
On the other hand... send you kids to a secular school and find out they are being told to say "grace" before school dinners....????
What if the only schools near you, or the nearest school, was a Church of England school?Our kids went to a CofE primary, we had to lie about going to church to get them in.
Why? because it was the best school for them. The fact the learned about a relatively harmless and innocuous religion at the same time was a bonus and later as adults they make their own minds up.
If you send your kids to a school tied to a religion don't moan about it.
On the other hand... send you kids to a secular school and find out they are being told to say "grace" before school dinners....????
Bearing in mind that your taxes are paying for over 90% of the costs of that school.
Still feel like your kids shouldn’t be able to attend your local school even if you are paying for it?
And telling your kids to ‘pretend’ to be religious in the year 2019 so they can go to a local school is beyond crackers.
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