I understand your point, but I think religious education is a good thing to have at school. That doesn't mean religious promotion or celebration, though. I think it's important to deliver that kind of information to children in an objective way.
A secular song doesn't have to be an anti-religious song, just as religious songs aren't usually anti-atheist. "Silent Night, Holy Night, let the non-believers burn in hell" isn't a carol I've ever come across. Some religious songs are great, and if they are taught in schools they should come with the disclaimer *this is a song people who believe in X wrote. I don't see a problem with that.
It is possible to educate about a number of belief systems including non-religion. There isn't enough time in the world to cover them all, but then we don't learn about every second of history the world over when studying History, do we? It's not about 'fairly promoting all beliefs', it's about choosing what information will be most useful in educating a child about the world around them and the society they're in. Good or bad, religion is still a huge factor in many people's lives and it'd be wrong to pretend otherwise.
I screwed up, I didn't mean that I didn't approve of studying religions and culture in general but it came out that way, huh? Sometimes I type faster than I think! Note to self: proofread!
I just disapprove of honoring or celebrating any religious traditions in school. Learning facts, fine. But I don't want to participate in anything religious to any degree.
Since a public school is a government institution, they aren't supposed to promote any 1 religion more than another. If they do x for one, they have to do x for all. They should just do nothing special for all and avoid hassle and infringing on anyone's rights. No songs, no rituals, no celebrating holidays. It's fine to learn who believes and celebrates what and why but to actually participate in it, glorify it and honor it is going too far.
I actually went to a Church of England junior school (government paid for) that had prayers and hymns integrated into our assemblies, and, as much as I didn't mind them, looking back it wasn't right to expect us to participate in worship. State schools should remain without religious affiliation.
However I actually think some celebration of holidays is good, it's just the way in which it's done. I mean, many people celebrate Christmas despite not being Christian - it's become as much a tradition amongst the secular as the religious, it's a cultural holiday as much as a religious one. So I don't see the harm in celebrating Christmas in a school environment, as long as they do it in the most inoffensive way possible.
Halloween too! I mean that's lost most of the spiritual meaning and is just a cultural holiday on which people dress up in crazy outfits and celebrate all things gothic and spooky.
My school also celebrated Harvest Festival, which is actually a pagan tradition sort of adopted by Christianity in some parts. The nice thing about that holiday was we celebrated it by donating items of food, and that food would then be sent to impoverished people around the world.
So these kinds of holidays can teach a lesson (such as charity), and they can be done without an emphasis on religion. There is something exciting for children about these annual events, when they can get involved in something different within a school environment. I think it would be a shame to lose that sense of fun.
Public schools banning Christmas carols?
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I understand your point, but I think religious education is a good thing to have at school. That doesn't mean religious promotion or celebration, though. I think it's important to deliver that kind of information to children in an objective way.
A secular song doesn't have to be an anti-religious song, just as religious songs aren't usually anti-atheist. "Silent Night, Holy Night, let the non-believers burn in hell" isn't a carol I've ever come across. Some religious songs are great, and if they are taught in schools they should come with the disclaimer *this is a song people who believe in X wrote. I don't see a problem with that.
It is possible to educate about a number of belief systems including non-religion. There isn't enough time in the world to cover them all, but then we don't learn about every second of history the world over when studying History, do we? It's not about 'fairly promoting all beliefs', it's about choosing what information will be most useful in educating a child about the world around them and the society they're in. Good or bad, religion is still a huge factor in many people's lives and it'd be wrong to pretend otherwise.
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LesserKnownCharacter
10 years ago
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I screwed up, I didn't mean that I didn't approve of studying religions and culture in general but it came out that way, huh? Sometimes I type faster than I think! Note to self: proofread!
I just disapprove of honoring or celebrating any religious traditions in school. Learning facts, fine. But I don't want to participate in anything religious to any degree.
Since a public school is a government institution, they aren't supposed to promote any 1 religion more than another. If they do x for one, they have to do x for all. They should just do nothing special for all and avoid hassle and infringing on anyone's rights. No songs, no rituals, no celebrating holidays. It's fine to learn who believes and celebrates what and why but to actually participate in it, glorify it and honor it is going too far.
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disthing
10 years ago
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I agree with you.
I actually went to a Church of England junior school (government paid for) that had prayers and hymns integrated into our assemblies, and, as much as I didn't mind them, looking back it wasn't right to expect us to participate in worship. State schools should remain without religious affiliation.
However I actually think some celebration of holidays is good, it's just the way in which it's done. I mean, many people celebrate Christmas despite not being Christian - it's become as much a tradition amongst the secular as the religious, it's a cultural holiday as much as a religious one. So I don't see the harm in celebrating Christmas in a school environment, as long as they do it in the most inoffensive way possible.
Halloween too! I mean that's lost most of the spiritual meaning and is just a cultural holiday on which people dress up in crazy outfits and celebrate all things gothic and spooky.
My school also celebrated Harvest Festival, which is actually a pagan tradition sort of adopted by Christianity in some parts. The nice thing about that holiday was we celebrated it by donating items of food, and that food would then be sent to impoverished people around the world.
So these kinds of holidays can teach a lesson (such as charity), and they can be done without an emphasis on religion. There is something exciting for children about these annual events, when they can get involved in something different within a school environment. I think it would be a shame to lose that sense of fun.