How does religion work in schools today?

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Just thinking back to my primary school years and its quite worrying the amount of religious indoctrination that happened.

This wasn't even a catholic school I went and every morning we had assembly, sung hymns, prayed and even had vicars coming in telling us bible stories on a projector.

I feel this sort of brainwashing should be illegal and religious practices should be banned in schools. No doubt have a lesson or two teaching kids what religion is, ideally from the problem causing, fictional santa claus side would be fine with me.

Wondering how they go about it today? Do they still brainwash suggestible kids in schools?
 
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It depends on the school. Some schools have progressive, inclusive and broad religious education classes, other less so. In the main the curriculum demands that a child is taught a broad range of religions and cultures and depending on the ethos of the school with the emphasis on Christianity. It's hardly the kind of religious indoctrination that needs to be made illegal, there are far more pressing matters in our education system than banning RE quite frankly.

However I realise that this thread isn't really about a reasoned discussion on RE classes and is in fact more likely a device to begin another anti-religion thread....so carry on.
 
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Where I was at school both Junior and Secondary Assemblies were more spiritual (and a bit of philosophy thrown in) than religious though we'd have a vicar or nun or similiar in 1-2x a term which was about the only time we'd sing any hymns, only time I remember any prayer was a few times in Infants for some reason but memory is too hazy as to details.
 
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It depends on the school. Some schools have progressive, inclusive and broad religious education classes, other less so. In the main the curriculum demands that a child is taught a broad range of religions and cultures and depending on the ethos of the school with the emphasis on Christianity. It's hardly the kind of religious indoctrination that needs to be made illegal, there are far more pressing matters in our education system than banning RE quite frankly.

However I realise that this thread isn't really about a reasoned discussion on RE classes and is in fact more likely a device to begin another anti-religion thread....so carry on.

I'm thankful that even if the first post was terrible the second was not.

Come on guys, pull it together. This is getting silly now.
 
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I don't mind learning about religion, but we were praying everyday and singing hymns for 7 years.

Kids don't have any choice in the matter and believe whatever you tell them at that age. It's completely wrong looking back.

I certainly hope we have more sense today.
 
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Sung hymes in primary school but there was none of that in secondary school. The only time religion was mentioned was during RE. Which mostly was religions other than Christianity. There is only one person i know around my age who believes in god and actively goes to church. Others might believe but do not go, it's dying out nowadays.
 
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Soldato
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I went to a catholic primary and secondary school. Prayers quite often, mass on special occasions, hymn lessons etc.

My nieces are now at the same primary, and not much seems to have changed, they probably learn more about other religions now.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest, the sort of religious stuff you get taught in primary school is all quite happy, be good to each other, love your parents type stuff, and by the time you get to secondary, most kids couldn't care less. That's how it was for me anyway.

I don't think we need to worry about our schools producing radical extremist suicide bombers or anything.

I don't mind learning about religion, but we were praying everyday and singing hymns for 7 years.

Kids don't have any choice in the matter and believe whatever you tell them at that age. It's completely wrong looking back.

I certainly hope we have more sense today.

And what effect has that had on your life?
 
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I have wondered this lately. we sung hymns had the vicar come in said a prayer every morning in assembly, Remember one Jehovah witness girl would step out every time we prayed. My school was in a small town and everyone was white and not one foreigner attended apart from the French and Spanish teachers

but how does it work now with the country having so much more diversity?
 
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Just thinking back to my primary school years and its quite worrying the amount of religious indoctrination that happened.

This wasn't even a catholic school I went and every morning we had assembly, sung hymns, prayed and even had vicars coming in telling us bible stories on a projector.

I feel this sort of brainwashing should be illegal and religious practices should be banned in schools. No doubt have a lesson or two teaching kids what religion is, ideally from the problem causing, fictional santa claus side would be fine with me.

Wondering how they go about it today? Do they still brainwash suggestible kids in schools?

... and so GD's obsession with religion continues :(

It's not really indoctrination or brainwashing is it? If it were you'd be a practicing Christian today which clearly you're not. How many of the people who went to your school are practicing Christians today? Not many I expect.
 
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A religious education is still an important aspect, so that should always remain regardless of the individuals religious position it's useful to understand the world. Personally, I don't like the idea of singing hymns or praying at school - a religion is a personal thing & practicing any specific religion via ceremonies should have no place in education system.

I didn't like being forced to pray or attend religiously based assemblies as a child.
 
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RDM

RDM

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It depends on the school. I have worked in two schools this year the first was non religious, RE was offered at KS3 and as an option at GCSE but not A Level.

The second is a Catholic School, obviously much more religious with prayers said at a weekly assembly, mass held on the important dates, RE mandatory at KS3, 4 and 5. Religious retreats offered at Y9 and Y11. Prayers are also said at the start of staff meetings and one of the interview questions is "How would you support the Catholic Ethos of the school?".
 
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I enjoyed RE at primary school. RE is interesting because in many cases you learnt about people's culture along side it. Learning about religions like Hinduism was great too, their religion is much more exciting than Christianity!

The only problem I had was that it was always put to me basically as "you will believe in one of these." I'd clocked that they couldn't all be right, but always just believed that Christianity was correct because I'd been raised that way. Eventually I realised you could believe in nothing, but this was never ever mentioned in primary and secondary school.

A religious education is still an important aspect, so that should always remain regardless of the individuals religious position it's useful to understand the world. Personally, I don't like the idea of singing hymns or praying at school - a religion is a personal thing & practicing any specific religion via ceremonies should have no place in education system.

I didn't like being forced to pray or attend religiously based assemblies as a child.

Yeah I would say I benefited from my religious education too, as I have a reasonable understanding of most major world religions, although it is by no means complete. Some may find it hard to believe, but RE taught me a level of tolerance.
 
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Soldato
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I went to a catholic school primary and secondary school.

I think the only difference is that we had mass once a week in the lunch hall and took RE as additional class in GCSE level. I do not recall anyone being 'religious' tbh.

As for me i worked out at a young age that religion, morality or laws place far too great a limitation on my actions.
 

RDM

RDM

Soldato
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I find it sad that your child will never be in a nativity or king Arthur play.

Most non religious schools still do drama so other plays will be available...

Though you could quite easily do King Arthur without having to go to a religious school, the Christian bits of the story were pretty much added later to the original myth anyway. It's not like you have to believe in Zeus to do a play about Theseus.
 
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I never had to sing hyms or pray throughout my primary/secondary school time. However my RE teacher in secondary was a really angry jewish bloke, who seemed to follow his own curriculum constantly educating us how good being a jew was.
 
Soldato
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They should teach religion in school as a theoretical subject.

They shouldn't enforce religion around a large ground of people with weak brains and herd mentality.

Whatever happened to the separation of church and state?
 
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