Religious Education in Australia

Phoenix · 01-07-2009, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandramcd

I have a friend who, as an atheist, has been very upset by what her son has been told at school about her beliefs!!

This I find as sad as any other kind of religious bigotry, you want to try being an atheist in the USA, where being directly abusive and even physically threatening to atheists is not only tolerated by in some places expected!

It seams that atheism is the latest frontier in human rights, before it was racism, sexism, and homophobia, now being gay, black and female is accepted and indeed protected in most of the western world, but there is no protection from bigotry against atheists.

northernbird · 01-07-2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandramcd

Thanks Hazel, in the UK I taught Re 2x a week in an Essex state school to every kids in every year in the school. We looked at signs and symbols, Science and religion, indiginous religions, ethics, philosophy aswell as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and Judaism. What I believed was not relevant and RE was taught from an objective point of view to give kids an understanding of where other people are coming from. We often invited people in to discuss their faiths with the kids to make it a bit more "real" to them.

We teach our kids what we believe at home and are looking for a church with a Sunday School to do the same, but I just don't see that that is what I should be finding in school. I have a friend who, as an atheist, has been very upset by what her son has been told at school about her beliefs!!

Here in WA you have the right to withdraw your child from scripture teachings. I would do if my child was being taught that pile of rubbish. I suggest you do the same.

Petals · 01-07-2009, 12:23 AM

If you want religious education then you need to send your children to private schools affiliated with the churches.

I sent my children to religious high school and it was part of their daily life at the school from prayers in the morning, religious instruction etc.

I believe that even though we are not particularly religious does not mean our children will not be and therefore they should have a choice and we gave them one. Worked out well no mystery about religion and they learned how to live in society as caring human beings.

sandramcd · 01-07-2009, 12:44 AM

I think my problem is that I want my children to be educated by people who have a educated knowledge of what they are teaching eg I would want them to be taught languages by people who are fluent in that language and know the ins and outs of grammar etc, not by some one who happens to go on holiday there a bit. I studied for 4 years at Uni and love my subject (am slightly put out by the suggestion that RE teachers only read from a book...). There is a place for visitors but then surely there should be Muslims, Jews etc represented?

I was lucky enough to go to a good Catholic School in Southampton where the Catholic girls had all their "faith stuff" (for want of a better term!), but we were also given good, objective RE classes where debate was encouraged and people's views respected.

andyhus · 01-07-2009, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandramcd

I think my problem is that I want my children to be educated by people who have a educated knowledge of what they are teaching eg I would want them to be taught languages by people who are fluent in that language and know the ins and outs of grammar etc, not by some one who happens to go on holiday there a bit. I studied for 4 years at Uni and love my subject (am slightly put out by the suggestion that RE teachers only read from a book...). There is a place for visitors but then surely there should be Muslims, Jews etc represented?

I was lucky enough to go to a good Catholic School in Southampton where the Catholic girls had all their "faith stuff" (for want of a better term!), but we were also given good, objective RE classes where debate was encouraged and people's views respected.

Sorry if that is from my post, then you misunderstood what i was saying. I was trying to imply if you have a passion for what you teach it will probably come across a lot better than just repeating a book about any subject. You i think have a passion else you wouldn't be posting on a forumn about it.

sandramcd · 01-07-2009, 01:13 AM

Thanks Andy, I know there are teachers out there who perhaps do that but I hope I'm not one of them! I passionately believe that good RE teaching could go a long way to helping a lot of problems in societies today. Maybe I'll write to K.Rudd...!

theturnerclan · 01-07-2009, 01:48 AM

This is about one of the only areas I am struggling with school. I am catholic and attended a good church of england school as my parents thought it would give us a more rounded perspective. I studied every faith whilst at school and it gave me an insight and understanding of each. Although I am no longer a practising catholic - I do still have faith.

My OH on the other hand is a darwinist however because I feel it is important to give children the basics we sent them to the same cofe school I attended. They are baptised which we chose to do when they could participate and understand the ceremony and if you ask them they are christians. We've only been here 12 weeks but I am not sure that they will answer the same next year, or the year after. We are not in the position at the moment to send them to an anglican school due to the costs, we have 3 so it falls on us to give them a balance. I would ideally like them to learn what I learnt, a rounded perspective to religion which gives them the choice in the future to decide who they want to be. My OH just tells me when I start to worry... you can't have everything. We are balanced which should hopefully (fingers crossed) mean that our children come out the same....

Rudi · 01-07-2009, 02:35 AM

I think it very much depends on what school you are at as to what sort of RE you get. I am not really bothered about it, so it's not something I worry about.

In my children's school in NSW they had classes every week. They were divided into Anglicans and Catholics and people from those religions came into school and taught the kids about that particular religion. You also had the option to opt out of classes.

In the school my children attend now they have RE once every two weeks, again run by volunteers from the church, but all in together, not split into different religions.

My kids have learned about other religions within the main school curriculum.

Love

Rudi
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