Teaching kids Religion in schools, is it mandatory?

[Marc]

chatting about this to my mate the other night (he has a kid, I dont) and we we're wondering if its mandatory to learn RE in school these days or can you opt out and stop your kids from learning?

Seem to remember one kid at my old school was'nt aloud due to his parents blocking it but that may of been because he was from Pakistan or somewhere over that way!

 

[Northstander]

I know one of my relatives whomlives in Bradford and their kids are taught "Muslim" ciz the number of asians at the school!!

i'm sorry but I would move straight away to another school, I understand the benefits of learning about other culters but to have this rammed down your throat!! NO WAY!!!

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I know one of my relatives whomlives in Bradford and their kids are taught "Muslim" ciz the number of asians at the school!!

i'm sorry but I would move straight away to another school, I understand the benefits of learning about other culters but to have this rammed down your throat!! NO WAY!!!

Difficult as it may be to discuss culture with someone unable to spell it I feel I should inquire as to where the boundary between the beneficial teaching of other religions and having it "rammed down your throat" lies.

 

[REDLAND]

I did RE at school and it was manditory, fortuantly it gave me a good basis to form the opinion that its all a load of bollox.

 

[Safeway]

i'm sorry but I would move straight away to another school, I understand the benefits of learning about other culters but to have this rammed down your throat!! NO WAY!!!

That would have worked so much better if you'd said "RAMADAMMED down my throat".

 

[Northstander]

ps: sorry bout the spellnig

 

[Titanic]

If you are seriously interested in this, there is lots of information available.

Key Stages 1 and 2:

http://www.nc.uk.net/nc_resources/html/ks1and2.shtml

Key Stages 3 and 4:

http://www.nc.uk.net/nc_resources/html/ks3and4.shtml

Religious education

Under the Education Act 1996 schools must provide religious education for all registered pupils, although parents can choose to withdraw their children. Schools, other than voluntary aided schools and those of a religious character, must teach religious education according to the locally agreed syllabus. Each agreed syllabus should reflect the fact that the religious traditions in Great Britain are in the main Christian, while taking account of the teachings and practices of the other principal religions represented in Great Britain.

Religious education makes a distinctive contribution to the school curriculum by developing pupils' knowledge and understanding of religion, religious beliefs, practices, language and traditions and their influence on individuals, communities, societies and cultures. It enables pupils to consider and respond to a range of important questions related to their own spiritual development, the development of values and attitudes and fundamental questions concerning the meaning and purpose of life.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

At CArdinal Newman you HAVE to do it cos its a catholic school, I think its f***ing rediculas though cos our school cannot provide enough books for everybody! They only have about 25 bibles to go around for over 1000 students! Last year (year 10 for me) for RE I had 1 decent teacher, then she changed class because another group in my year was miles behind cos the teacher was shit, so we got the shit teacher, he left at the end of term, we had a supply teacher for a month who didn't have a clue what we had to do and now we have this teacher who also hasn't got a clue about what is going on!

Im now predicted a G n my RE GCSE because of it. f***ing Ridiculas.

At a schools like Falmer of Hove Park, it is optional/

 

[Marc]

cool ta everyone I shall pass all this onto my mate (he has the kid about to go to school).

 

[Icy Gull]

Difficult as it may be to discuss culture with someone unable to spell it I feel I should inquire as to where the boundary between the beneficial teaching of other religions and having it "rammed down your throat" lies.

I would not have been happy to have my kids taught the Muslim religion as the main RE at an English School, is that racist?

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

mine was, but i managed to escape it by taking an extra gcse.

i did take it from year 7-9 though. hated nearly every minute of it! Taught me a lot of useless information though

 

[Marshy]

total waste of time i think, just my opinion mind..

 

[Lush]

As a kid, once you've got your head round Granny coming out of the wolf's stomach alive and that a cow jumped over the moon, religion follows on fairly naturally.

 

[CHAPPERS]

I qute liked my RE lessons. They taught me how to be all ethical like I am now.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

had to do it at blatch- even at gcse

the gcse years were much better than the rest of it- much more about morals(ie. differant religions views on abortion)

discovered that:
buddhists don't give a shit about anything
catholics ban everything

that was about it

years 7-9 of it were shit though

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I would not have been happy to have my kids taught the Muslim religion as the main RE at an English School, is that racist?

No, but then i didn't say it was. What I was asking was at what point does being taught about islam become unacceptable.

I personally think a modern RE curriculum should cover all the major religions practised in this country.

 

[Willow]

I qute liked my RE lessons. They taught me how to be all ethical like I am now.

That's a good point, I was happy with the set of values I learned at Saltdean Middle School RE. Just make sure your kids aren't brainwashed into believing anything written in the bible actually happened.

 

[Marc]

you know what...the only thing I remember about RE at school was that kid not being in it because his parents said so......and thats it

come to think of it most of my school memories are not from other classes either......duuuuuuuuh

 

[Beach Hut]

My sons are at a church school and they are taught aspects of all religions - good idea as well as gives a broader outlook

 

[zefarelly]

I did RE at school and it was manditory, fortuantly it gave me a good basis to form the opinion that its all a load of bollox.

I could not agree more, fantastic post Redland (for a change )