Child forced to join in act of worship.

[plekhanov 10]

I think you are over reacting by referring to a teacher as a control freak and referring to Jesus as some boke riding into town on a donkey. Perhaps if your son did as he was told in school life would be easier for everyone, after all we all have to do things in life we would rather not do.

Of course "we all have to do things in life we would rather not do". But should singing songs about some bloke who supposedly rode a donkey into a city a long time ago as part of a convoluted plot of his own devising to sacrificed himself to himself in order to forgive all humanity for a crime he set their distant ancestors up to commit be one of them?

[EmilyM 10]

I remember at school being made to pray in assembly with our eyes closed. I used to open my eyes a tiny bit and look around, and I would mouth the words instead of saying them aloud, mostly because I found it boring and didn't like being forced to do it.

[plekhanov 10]

I would say that most of us on here sang hymns at school and its not harmed us in any way.

 

They're just songs, songs about Jesus and Co. Do any of you get wound up if your child is singing racy lyrics from a chart hit? MY OH's 12 year old daughter sings Lady Ga Ga's "Bad Romance".

 

They're just words, get a grip.

SO if the government passed a law forcing children to sing songs in praise of our 'Dear Leader' Gordon Brown in a North Korean stylie you'd have no objection then? After all "they're just words".

[plekhanov 10]

Thanks for that. My son asked me this morning if I had done a letter to the school. He clearly wants me to follow it up.

 

I feel if it were an issue about forcing a child of another faith, some of you would be more understanding. It seems that people of no faith are expected to go along with the flow and not cause a fuss.

Well of course we are, hence the hostile reaction to you daring to object to your child being pressurised and the hysterical reaction to the likes of Dawkins criticising religion in the manner non-supernatural ideologies are habitually criticised.

 

Anyway I think you should definitely write the letter and take whatever other stpes you think necessary to support your child.

 

Like most kids I just used to put up with tedious religious assemblies singing (though I don't recall being spotted not singing) included without complaint till I moved to a school with much more oppressively evangelistic assemblies. Unfortunately for me my parents wanted me to be subjected to them and refused my request for a letter excusing me so I had to continue to endure them. Your kid is lucky to have someone rather more supportive of his wishes.

[Mathom 10]

I think it has more to do with a teacher being scared that by letting one child have the freedom not to sing, it will lead to everyone else demanding the same. However, this doesn't necessarily follow, so the teacher is being extremely unfair on this boy.

 

And regardless of his religious views, he may simply be an introvert and as such find singing an absolutely crippling thing to do. You cannot 'force' an introvert to change their personality no matter how hard you try, but you can make them an emotional screw up by trying.

[harvey19 541]

Of course "we all have to do things in life we would rather not do". But should singing songs about some bloke who supposedly rode a donkey into a city a long time ago as part of a convoluted plot of his own devising to sacrificed himself to himself in order to forgive all humanity for a crime he set their distant ancestors up to commit be one of them?

I think this needs to be kept in perspective.

We live in a Christian country.

The rules of the school should be obeyed and teachers shown respect.

The teacher was probably trying to help the child join in a group activity.

Maybe the childs real problem is that he does not want to sing irrespective of the songs.

[Kthebean 10]

Guess it just comes down to what kind of parent you want to be.

 

If you write him a letter I think that makes you just as bad as the religious parents who are 'my child can't do this or eat this or must be taken out of school for this'.

 

Also you have to look at the logic of it and think - what if your son decides tomorow he is a worshipper of flying spag monster? You going to write to school to request he be allowed to go in with spaghetti hair?

 

I very much agree with the WELL LIFE IS UNFAIR school of parenting rather than the writing in to school type.

 

As an atheist I think God doesn't exist. So I can happily sing praise to God, because to me it is just words. Maybe it would upset me if I had a different religion, but I dont, so I dont care. I'll sing to any God, because its all rubbish to me. Comparing it to Nazi songs doesn't work for me, because Nazis certainly do exist.

 

This is just my opinion though and obviously as a parent you have to do what you think is best.

[plekhanov 10]

I think this needs to be kept in perspective.

We live in a Christian country.

Even if this were true in anything but a nominal sense how would that justify victimising a child for not singing a Xian song?

 

The rules of the school should be obeyed and teachers shown respect.

And your grounds for claiming that Bloomdido's son wasn't respectful are what?

 

The teacher was probably trying to help the child join in a group activity.

Maybe the childs real problem is that he does not want to sing irrespective of the songs.

Right so the teacher was trying to "help" the child be threatening to make them sing on their own in front of the whole school were they

[plekhanov 10]

Guess it just comes down to what kind of parent you want to be.

 

If you write him a letter I think that makes you just as bad as the religious parents who are 'my child can't do this or eat this or must be taken out of school for this'.

Except for the rather significant fact that Bloomdido hasn't sort to prevent his child from being exposed to Christianity, he is simply thinking of supporting his son's desire not to be forced to actively participate in Christian worship.

[carmencarter 10]

Guess it just comes down to what kind of parent you want to be.

 

If you write him a letter I think that makes you just as bad as the religious parents who are 'my child can't do this or eat this or must be taken out of school for this'.

 

Also you have to look at the logic of it and think - what if your son decides tomorow he is a worshipper of flying spag monster? You going to write to school to request he be allowed to go in with spaghetti hair?

 

I very much agree with the WELL LIFE IS UNFAIR school of parenting rather than the writing in to school type.

 

As an atheist I think God doesn't exist. So I can happily sing praise to God, because to me it is just words. Maybe it would upset me if I had a different religion, but I dont, so I dont care. I'll sing to any God, because its all rubbish to me. Comparing it to Nazi songs doesn't work for me, because Nazis certainly do exist.

 

This is just my opinion though and obviously as a parent you have to do what you think is best.

 

How is it "bad" for a religious parent to request that a child be exempted of a certain activity because it goes against their belief?

So long as it is requested in a reasonable and polite manner?

 

The thing about singing in school assemblies, is that teachers are associated with knowledge.

I've lost count of the number of kids who have asked me numerous questions about anything, not just religion, because they are young and a lot of them think that teachers know everything- needless to say, we don't.

We are in such a powerful position, surely promoting songs about God is wrong because they will take it as...well, gospel.

[Aries22 10]

When l was a child Sunday School was the norm with my parents, not that they were religious or went to church themselves.

I hate what religion has done to cause wars, and other atrosaties, and even though l had if forced on to me, it had the opposite effect, that l am a complete Athiest now.

[harvey19 541]

Even if this were true in anything but a nominal sense how would that justify victimising a child for not singing a Xian song?

Victimising ?? Trying to get him to join in with everyone else.

 

 

 

And your grounds for claiming that Bloomdido's son wasn't respectful are what?

Bloomdido refers to the teacher as a control freak.

 

 

Right so the teacher was trying to "help" the child be threatening to make them sing on their own in front of the whole school were they

Means to an end.