My little one once remarked that religious people are just foolish for believing in fairy tales. I gave her a gentle reality check and explained the importance of tolerance, accepting different perspectives, and respecting various beliefs and traditions. I’m hopeful she won't say something like that to her friends who attend church. I honestly think it would be great if all parents had this kind of conversation with their kids. 😁
My little one absolutely loves religious studies. She goes to every single class, and 😁 when they aren't in there playing chess in the library, she’s being her usual studious self by practicing her letters. If the weather is nice, they just head outside to play... honestly, it feels like one big, lovely mid-day break 😁 I still have my doubts about whether this belongs in the school curriculum, but since she's already there, I'm just really glad to see schools making an effort to be inclusive of kids who don't participate in those classes. 🙂
Alright mistyjackal842, I'm going to try to dig up my high school transcripts today. I might have some copies lying around since the originals are still over at my college 😳 😂
If I manage to find them, I'll snap a photo and post it here—I'll probably include the grade too, since it was an A 😂
So, I happened to stumble upon some photos on Facebook of a seventh-grade American language arts textbook There’s this whole lesson on patriotism and faith where the assignments are things like, go have a chat with your local pastor, work on a project with your religious studies teacher, or write an essay titled "God is Light."
It’s a month-long project where you have to pick out poems to recite in front of your congregation at church. 😍
Personally, I find that way more jarring than the religious education classes themselves—those are optional anyway, since kids either choose to go or just don't have the guts to opt out.
No, their actual complaint was just about whether the class is scheduled for the first or last period. It wasn't even an issue of being in a different shift at any other school; they specifically targeted that timing.
For instance, at my kids' school, computer science (for the upper grades, I mean) used to be in the same shift as everything else. Sometimes religious studies would follow it, which left a gap in the schedule for students who took religion but skipped the tech class. Starting this year—and now we can see why 😍—computer science has been moved to the opposite shift, while religious studies is tucked right in the middle of the day. 😁
brightheron64, I'm in the same boat. If some people think religious studies is harmless while others are just terrified of being ostracized, I totally get it.
Personally, my priority is teaching my kid to hold her head high and that there’s nothing wrong with being different. Besides, if the ideas being taught in those classes clash with our own values, I’d rather my little one skip them entirely.
I'm honestly just going through with it. I think people are mostly afraid their kids won't be "properly raised" If they already feel like religious studies doesn't cover everything important anyway, or if they just don't buy into the old stories, I can see why they'd sign them up. I find it hard to believe anyone would enroll their child if they felt the exact same way I do about what kids are actually taught in those classes.🤷
I honestly don't get how they can't see why going to church is worth the effort🤷
Regarding this letter... it feels genuinely malicious. Truly. There’s absolutely no reason for them to be upset just because it’s the first or last service meant to make things easier for the kids. It's just mean-spirited
I didn't mean to push for answers. Honestly, asking would just put me on the defensive, and frankly, whether my kid attends religion class or stays in the hallway isn't really my concern—the school's organization is their responsibility, not mine. It feels like they lumped all us "troublemakers" together in the same classroom where the teacher is willing to look after the kids.😍
hmm, I hadn't really thought about it that way 😂 for us either 😁 but it's often just a separate room; at our school, there's one classroom (obviously the one meant to serve as the common area) that has its own dedicated section for hanging out
Whether it's one child or two, it doesn't really matter. They shouldn't be leaving things out in the hallway like that. It’s great that you’re going into the interview all prepared 👍
Look, I agree that sometimes you have to step up, take charge, and do what needs to be done when the situation calls for it. But I honestly feel like there's this manufactured narrative that children are inevitably going to be "marked," alienated, or mistreated... Nobody actually wants that for their kid. That’s why people sign them up for religious studies for no real reason, and then they get annoyed when they're expected to actually show up to church.
silentraven6 said:Your perspective comes from your own experience, living in a major city. We can probably agree that America is much larger than just its biggest metropolitan areas. And even in those big cities, tolerance isn't exactly universal.
Small towns aren't outliers; they are often the ones actively maintaining the status quo because people are terrified of being judged. They act as brakes on progress because you're constantly stuck in this defensive position where it's hard to speak your mind. Not everyone is brave or revolutionary—like my friend from elementary school whose sister basically invited her to sit in on a religious class just to tell her in front of everyone that Satan would devour her. My friend gave her a legendary comeback and got a standing ovation from the rest of us. Obviously, not every small town is like that, but the experiences of most of my colleagues from rural areas are pretty similar—whether it's religion, music, sexual orientation, or social status, it's just more intense in those smaller communities.
And I don't see the issue with the outcry regarding how inappropriate the eighth-grade religious studies textbooks are. They repeat certain points that shouldn't be allowed in a free society within a state institution that pays the teachers but doesn't have the right to choose them through a competitive hiring process.
Saying you "understand" why things might be different in smaller towns is like saying you understand why coming out is harder in a Small town in the Midwest than it is in Washington, D.C. But look, I still think people overreact. To me, it's not "drama," it's an awareness of injustice. I don't see how that's a bad thing.
PS: I know I'm in a bit of a tense writing mode here, but I'm just thinking out loud. I'm not trying to start a nasty verbal fight with you 😁 (plus, it's been a while since we talked, so if you're up for it, let's chew the fat a bit).
Well, yeah, it is harder, but people in D.C. act like they're living in a tiny Midwest town, you know? I'm pretty sure this happens in D.C., Cleveland, and everywhere else, but I really don't believe it's widespread enough that parents should enroll their kids in religion just out of fear.
I was in 7th grade when religious studies was introduced. I didn't take it. Nobody ever really questioned why, though to be fair, my teachers had much bigger issues with me talking in class than they ever did with religious studies. 😂
I was actually thinking the same thing. It feels like parents overreact too much, which ends up driving kids into programs they wouldn't have even considered otherwise.
conspiracytheorymodeon maybe this whole thing is being pushed by religious groups just to build a reputation that it's "better not to air your dirty laundry."conspiracytheorymodeoff 😂
wanderingbadger44 said:Of course not. It’s just like trying to measure how much someone loves their hometown; you can't really put a number on it, which is why everyone ends up getting an A. 👏
It’s funny, I actually heard a few parents complaining that religion class shouldn't even count as a real subject, and they can't wrap their heads around someone getting a 4 😁 My goodness, I’m literally quoting one parent here: "Instead of raising her GPA, she's getting a 4! Now she's dragging the average down, this is insane!" 😁