Religion classes in school - Megathread

wanderingbadger44 said:Does your school only have two classes total? Because if we're looking at it logically, a single teacher could only cover one first period and one last period.

If there are more than just two classes, then I assume your school employs enough teachers to ensure every student gets their religious education during those specific slots? So, if there are 16 classes in the building, does that mean you actually have eight different religion teachers on staff?

Or, to put it simply, you're just being untruthful. ☕

Hi there, I haven’t actually posted anything here before, though I find myself lurking and reading through this thread from time to time.

Even though I wasn't the one being asked, that bolded part felt a bit off to me. It makes you wonder—why on earth would a woman feel the need to lie in the first place?

I’m seeing a similar setup at my school, though I'm only looking at the elementary wing. We run on two shifts, with four classrooms per shift, bringing us to a total of eight elementary classrooms.
Religious studies always ends up being either the fourth or fifth period for the morning shift kids—basically their final stretch before they can head home—while for the afternoon crowd, it’s usually that awkward zero or first period right when they walk through the doors.

At our school, the schedule is set up so that religion classes are either the very first or the very last period for classes that include non-religious students. In classes where everyone attends, religion class just falls right in the middle of the day.
I honestly don't see the issue with arranging things this way—even if someone above argued that a single instructor can only have one opening slot and one closing slot. Sure, they can, but there are five days in a school week, after all.
Additionally, those two religion periods are grouped into a block, occurring during either the first two or the last two hours.
At the very least, this works for the classes where not everyone participates, and that data is already available by the time the permanent master schedule is being finalized (if I recall correctly, around the second week of the semester).
Problem solved.

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Sam Kim12 said:Look, if they understood what was in bold, they might actually get it.😉

Yes, attending Mass is a requirement—BUT it doesn't have to be at one specific service or one specific building and parents get rightfully frustrated by that rigid mindset😉...people head out on road trips or visit family in other cities during the weekend, and I fail to see why it's an issue to attend Mass in a place like Ogulin—why would that service be any less valid?

I already said Mass is valid anywhere and it should be treated that way.
And obviously, parents hate it when they can't go anywhere until after the service.

But I'm not talking about that, you're just cherry-picking what fits your argument.

There are way, way, way more parents like the ones I'm describing than there are priests like the ones we're both talking about.
This isn't just some random experience, it's mine.

I've been helping with sacrament prep for kids in my parish for over 10 years now—hundreds of parents, literally hundreds, just drop their kids off for religious ed without it meaning anything to them, without being interested in the process, or even trying to understand that prepping for a sacrament isn't just signing up for a class and showing up on the scheduled date. It’s the same story every single year—why is it in the morning, why do they have to come to church, why extra classes, why push them to morning Mass, why regular attendance, why force confession, why, why, why...

Maybe twenty parents per generation reach out to me saying they have traditions with grandparents, or sports practice, or games, or some other reason for missing a specific Mass.
And you know what's cool? They never complain. Solutions are easy to find, everything gets worked out with the teacher and the priest, and there's zero drama.
We don't track attendance with strict checkmarks here, even though we could. We don't grill the kids about where they were if they were somewhere else, and we don't force them into the exact same service all year long. If they're "short" on credits, and the kids actually want to fill their little booklets, they can show up to any weekday Mass, an evening service, an adoration hour, a vigil, or whatever else to fill the gaps. We have a great system that works, yet every single week, the same group of parents sits outside the church during Mass—while their kid is supposed to be inside sitting still and quiet—just hanging out, walking around, smoking, chatting, and laughing.
The best part? They're doing this while their kid is stuck inside having to be well-behaved.
No wonder the kids want to be outside too. 🤦

So who's forcing you? Who's forcing those kids?
You are. 🤷
Why does some priest need to dictate how your Sunday looks just because it doesn't fit your schedule?

Sure, there are terrible pastors, priests, chaplains, and teachers. Absolutely.
But their (lack of) responsibility for the crap they pull doesn't excuse the responsibility of the parents who sign their kids up for religious ed.

Honestly, if everyone who complains just chose NOT to enroll their kids, life would be easier for everyone. Easier for the kids first, then the parents, and then for me, since it's way easier to teach 10 kids instead of 30.

I honestly wish someone would experience a situation where, at a parent-teacher meeting regarding kindergarten enrollment—with the principal and the teacher both present—someone actually had the guts to speak up. I mean, if a religious instructor were there, wouldn't they appeal to common sense? They should be saying that we shouldn't be enrolling kids in religious education classes unless they are truly believers, or if living out those faith-based values is actually a struggle for them... especially when you consider things like the Eucharist and all that.

🙂

Why even bother bringing up the ceremony? Because let’s face it—no one is ever going to actually see that happen.

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Tyler Ruiz502 said:I honestly wish someone would experience a situation where, at a parent-teacher meeting regarding kindergarten enrollment—with the principal and the teacher both present—someone actually had the guts to speak up. I mean, if a religious instructor were there, wouldn't they appeal to common sense? They should be saying that we shouldn't be enrolling kids in religious education classes unless they are truly believers, or if living out those faith-based values is actually a struggle for them... especially when you consider things like the Eucharist and all that.

🙂

Why even bother bringing up the ceremony? Because let’s face it—no one is ever going to actually see that happen.

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I don't support having religion classes in public schools, and I don't really vibe with most of the instructors at the church where I volunteer, but obviously, that change isn't coming anytime soon. Not that I think it should, either.
They're just protecting their jobs, just like I protect mine. I'd never tell an investor not to show up to my office just because they aren't interested—especially since I rely on them to pay the bills.

But seriously, that's exactly why the parents' role here is way, way, WAY more important than whatever the instructor or priest is doing.

James Alvarez2 said:I don't support having religion classes in public schools, and I don't really vibe with most of the instructors at the church where I volunteer, but obviously, that change isn't coming anytime soon. Not that I think it should, either.
They're just protecting their jobs, just like I protect mine. I'd never tell an investor not to show up to my office just because they aren't interested—especially since I rely on them to pay the bills.

But seriously, that's exactly why the parents' role here is way, way, WAY more important than whatever the instructor or priest is doing.

I’d actually argue that parental influence isn't even the deciding factor in whether a kid eventually buys into the dominant religion or decides to walk away from it entirely.

In my humble opinion, that whole thing usually crystallizes during those post-puberty "formative years"—it becomes such an intensely personal matter that it often has nothing to do with whatever beliefs parents tried to shove down their throats earlier on.

But look, everyone has their own reasons for enrolling their kid in religious education in the first place. They had the baby baptized, too—mostly just out of tradition, because of where they live, or because Grandma insisted, or one parent wanted it while the other just didn't want to make a scene.

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Just playing it safe. That's what one of my parents told me, anyway.

Tyler Ruiz502 said:I’d actually argue that parental influence isn't even the deciding factor in whether a kid eventually buys into the dominant religion or decides to walk away from it entirely.

In my humble opinion, that whole thing usually crystallizes during those post-puberty "formative years"—it becomes such an intensely personal matter that it often has nothing to do with whatever beliefs parents tried to shove down their throats earlier on.

But look, everyone has their own reasons for enrolling their kid in religious education in the first place. They had the baby baptized, too—mostly just out of tradition, because of where they live, or because Grandma insisted, or one parent wanted it while the other just didn't want to make a scene.

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I'm not even talking about how parents influence a kid's religious upbringing... I can't say anything about that part. My mom's from a different faith, and as for my dad, we just went through all the formalities when he was little. We weren't married in a church, never stepped foot in a service... I only wanted to take religion class because John was taking it, and I had a massive crush on him... 🤣 My sister dropped out after a few years because she just wasn't feeling it anymore... As for me, I end up having to decide every single year if I actually want to take religion class again next term. Though, honestly, they ask me the same thing about German and computer science too.

Parents are the ones who drive that whole "I'm going because everyone else is" mentality, and then they’re the first ones to complain when it actually happens...
It’s that one moment where you sign the papers for religion class and realize you're stuck... once you commit, you're dealing with all the baggage that comes with it.
It’s all about that moment when you tell a kid that priests are idiots, the church is a joke, the congregation is clueless, and the Sunday school teacher is a moron... then you force them to go sit through class with those stupid believers twice a week, only for them to be sent right back to that dumb church and those brainless priests...

Richard Perez3 says someone mentioned it... just in case.
For what exactly? What's that thing after... it can't possibly have to be right now...

Yeah, at the end of the day, it all comes down to what the parents decide. That's the bottom line...

Susan James said:If you want to take a second language, you have options—you can do a block period or switch things around; you could even enroll in a private language academy where you don't have to deal with the stress of GPA grades. Plus, you can often pick your own instructor or switch if you don't vibe with them, or even drop out mid-year if needed, which you definitely can't do with a standard elective.
Religion class is mandatory within the school curriculum. If you want those sacraments, you pretty much have to attend.

It sounds absurd, but that’s just how it works.
I know some kids who don't take a second language because it's scheduled during the afternoon shift and clashes with their music lessons or soccer practice. Instead, they just study it at home or at a specialized tutoring center where they can pick their own hours. Yet, those same kids still attend religion class because it's tucked into the standard morning schedule and they have to be at school anyway. If it were held in the afternoon, they wouldn't bother.

And honestly, I find this part so interesting: you can't just opt out of religion class at the start of the year if you realize they scheduled it for first period or if a few friends aren't in it. But the moment you get the schedule and see that German is the third period during the afternoon shift—right when your kid has soccer—you can just file a request and it actually gets approved.☕

Honestly, I’d feel like I was throwing money away if I passed up the chance to learn an extra language for free when the opportunity is right there, rather than shelling out cash for some private language school. My kid is already set on one anyway, though it’s a language that probably isn't even offered at any local academy, so this elective is really just a nice little bonus.

Michael Lee75 said:Honestly, I’d feel like I was throwing money away if I passed up the chance to learn an extra language for free when the opportunity is right there, rather than shelling out cash for some private language school. My kid is already set on one anyway, though it’s a language that probably isn't even offered at any local academy, so this elective is really just a nice little bonus.

Exactly. You have a shot at learning an extra language for free, and it would be a waste not to take it. We live in San Francisco—a massive tourist hub where being multilingual is everything—so we decided to jump on the French classes.

☕

wanderingbadger44 said:Does your school only have two classes total? Because if we're looking at it logically, a single teacher could only cover one first period and one last period.

If there are more than just two classes, then I assume your school employs enough teachers to ensure every student gets their religious education during those specific slots? So, if there are 16 classes in the building, does that mean you actually have eight different religion teachers on staff?

Or, to put it simply, you're just being untruthful. ☕

It’s far too easy to throw around accusations of lying. Religion class isn't on every single day's schedule—not that everyone follows the same timetable—so classes don't even start or end at the same time for everyone. You also have to factor in that some schools run on split shifts... I guess I don't know the exact probability of this happening at any given school, nor how many classes actually take religion, but I know my own child. It might just be a coincidence—though, granted, her class hasn't had any issues with religion class both last year and this one.

Edit; though I have to admit, I don't really hear anyone complaining about religion classes at our local school—though who knows, maybe people are just venting about it on forums. Honestly, I don't see any real issue here for parents who'd rather their kids skip those classes. As for the ones who do attend, they aren't losing anything by being there, nor are they forced to step foot in a church unless they actually want their child to receive the sacraments. Otherwise, we don't even have formal religious instruction through the Church here; it’s more like a Sunday school program that only the interested kids join. There isn't much drama regarding Holy Mass, either, but if a parent—or the child—decides they want to move forward with the sacraments, then I suppose they should respect certain rules set by the Church or the Priest. I don't want anyone accusing me of lying, but I haven't encountered a Priest yet who tries to impose anything nonsensical. This idea being discussed here—about people refusing to recognize mass attended elsewhere—just seems incomprehensible to me. I suspect the issue lies with that specific Priest, but I'm willing to believe he's an outlier, and something like this could probably be settled with a simple conversation between the parents and the clergy. 🤔 It’s usually possible to reach an agreement with them—but if you actually want your kid to take religious education seriously or stay within the faith, I don't quite get why it's such a struggle. It shouldn't be a mystery that they need to learn the basics and show up for Holy Mass regularly, I guess.

Which case are we talking about?

I’m thinking for that one, assuming all this stuff actually holds up. The Joker has an ace up his sleeve.

😬

Richard Perez3 said:Which case are we talking about?

I’m thinking for that one, assuming all this stuff actually holds up. The Joker has an ace up his sleeve.

😬

Yeah, I guess that’s mostly the issue—some people seem pretty unsure about their own faith, or lack thereof, regarding God. They’d rather dodge religious ed classes and the Church entirely, but they still want everything to feel "blessed" by the Church. Honestly, anyone claiming religious education doesn't belong in schools, or complaining that Priests demand too much consistency from families, could just take the easy way out and stop worrying about it—since it isn't mandatory... unless, of course, it actually matters to them.

Michael Lee75 said:Honestly, I’d feel like I was throwing money away if I passed up the chance to learn an extra language for free when the opportunity is right there, rather than shelling out cash for some private language school. My kid is already set on one anyway, though it’s a language that probably isn't even offered at any local academy, so this elective is really just a nice little bonus.

You totally missed the irony here, 😉
Religious studies is mandatory in the school curriculum, yet foreign languages aren't, because you can always find alternatives elsewhere. It’s honestly pretty absurd.
Especially when you consider that parents can teach languages at home—kids pick things up just by watching shows or listening to music, especially in English—yet religious studies, which is supposed to be a lived experience based on certain principles, somehow requires dedicated classroom hours throughout all eight years of elementary school.🤣

A friend of mine actually pulled his kid out of computer lab because the curriculum was basically useless; he knows way more about tech himself. Plus, since the kid was in the afternoon session, there was barely enough time to grab a snack, let alone get anything meaningful done for class.
And don't expect to hear any complaints about that from the parents of the kids in religious studies!

So, a friend was just telling me about this situation yesterday—with the religious education classes at school—and apparently, the local priest is insisting that the kids also attend services at the parish as part of their First Communion prep for third grade... he basically won't acknowledge any of the work being done by the school instructors. It’s quite a thing, really
The school actually offered to let him come in and lead the lessons on campus themselves, just so the kids wouldn't have to make the trip down to the church—but he turned them down... honestly, you hear the strangest things sometimes

feralmoose32 said:So, a friend was just telling me about this situation yesterday—with the religious education classes at school—and apparently, the local priest is insisting that the kids also attend services at the parish as part of their First Communion prep for third grade... he basically won't acknowledge any of the work being done by the school instructors. It’s quite a thing, really
The school actually offered to let him come in and lead the lessons on campus themselves, just so the kids wouldn't have to make the trip down to the church—but he turned them down... honestly, you hear the strangest things sometimes

If a kid is going to take their First Communion—meaning if the parents want them to participate—they’re required to attend the parish classes here. And that starts as early as second grade. It isn't that the school instructor's work isn't recognized; it's more like they demand this extra layer of instruction. I remember asking once if my child could skip the school version and just do the parish classes, but they insisted she had to do both. Look, I am firmly against religious studies being part of the public school curriculum, but I didn't want my kid sitting around in some corner of the building while everyone else was in class during first grade. Plus, she was eager to go, so we signed her up. I don't have any complaints about the teacher herself; she made a few comments that confused my little one, but I get that it's her job to say certain things. I just think they need to overhaul the curriculum so the topics actually match the age group.

The parish classes are led by a decent person, and my daughter loves going. They use specific textbooks to prep for the communion. Right now, my girl is struggling with the whole concept of sin and confession. We told her she doesn't *have* to go to confession, and we explained the concept of sin in a way that wouldn't scare her. I refuse to force something on her if it just causes fear and discomfort. If she decides she doesn't want to do the communion? Fine. As far as we're concerned, she doesn't have to.

feralmoose32 said:So, a friend was just telling me about this situation yesterday—with the religious education classes at school—and apparently, the local priest is insisting that the kids also attend services at the parish as part of their First Communion prep for third grade... he basically won't acknowledge any of the work being done by the school instructors. It’s quite a thing, really
The school actually offered to let him come in and lead the lessons on campus themselves, just so the kids wouldn't have to make the trip down to the church—but he turned them down... honestly, you hear the strangest things sometimes

A priest doesn't belong in a public school.
Whether it's for communion prep or a blessing of the bread, it's just not appropriate.
I really don't get what the school thinks they're gaining by offering that. 🤷

The fact that the priest won't acknowledge the school teacher's curriculum and demands extra sessions is a whole other issue. It just highlights how absurd this entire situation is, especially when parents actually go along with it.

Susan James said:A priest doesn't belong in a public school.
Whether it's for communion prep or a blessing of the bread, it's just not appropriate.
I really don't get what the school thinks they're gaining by offering that. 🤷

The fact that the priest won't acknowledge the school teacher's curriculum and demands extra sessions is a whole other issue. It just highlights how absurd this entire situation is, especially when parents actually go along with it.

I wouldn't say they don't recognize it; far from it. It’s more like if you don't attend the school-based classes, you can't take communion. And if you skip the parish sessions, you're out of luck there too. In marketing terms, it’s basically cross-selling. No matter which program you sign up for, they bundle the other one in because they’re tied together. It keeps everyone at the local parish office busy, I suppose. 😁

Personally, I don't get too wrapped up in all this since my kid doesn't participate in either. Though, she did ask me once if she could take communion because she heard people get little gifts out of it. So, I gave her the full rundown: I told her she’d have to spend three years in religious ed classes at school first, and then in the third year, she wouldn't be able to join us on our weekend trips or sleep in whenever she wants because she'd have to be at Mass early Sunday morning. Then, she’d have to take an additional class at the church, and finally, she’d have to sit in some tiny little room at the rectory and confess all her mistakes to a complete stranger, all just to end up with a tiny piece of a wafer. Needless to say, her interest vanished instantly.

Michelle Nelson4 said:I wouldn't say they don't recognize it; far from it. It’s more like if you don't attend the school-based classes, you can't take communion. And if you skip the parish sessions, you're out of luck there too. In marketing terms, it’s basically cross-selling. No matter which program you sign up for, they bundle the other one in because they’re tied together. It keeps everyone at the local parish office busy, I suppose. 😁

Personally, I don't get too wrapped up in all this since my kid doesn't participate in either. Though, she did ask me once if she could take communion because she heard people get little gifts out of it. So, I gave her the full rundown: I told her she’d have to spend three years in religious ed classes at school first, and then in the third year, she wouldn't be able to join us on our weekend trips or sleep in whenever she wants because she'd have to be at Mass early Sunday morning. Then, she’d have to take an additional class at the church, and finally, she’d have to sit in some tiny little room at the rectory and confess all her mistakes to a complete stranger, all just to end up with a tiny piece of a wafer. Needless to say, her interest vanished instantly.

It really all comes down to how things are packaged.😉 Someone who actually wants kids to participate will frame the entire "protocol" in a positive light.

Michelle Nelson4 said:I wouldn't say they don't recognize it; far from it. It’s more like if you don't attend the school-based classes, you can't take communion. And if you skip the parish sessions, you're out of luck there too. In marketing terms, it’s basically cross-selling. No matter which program you sign up for, they bundle the other one in because they’re tied together. It keeps everyone at the local parish office busy, I suppose. 😁

Personally, I don't get too wrapped up in all this since my kid doesn't participate in either. Though, she did ask me once if she could take communion because she heard people get little gifts out of it. So, I gave her the full rundown: I told her she’d have to spend three years in religious ed classes at school first, and then in the third year, she wouldn't be able to join us on our weekend trips or sleep in whenever she wants because she'd have to be at Mass early Sunday morning. Then, she’d have to take an additional class at the church, and finally, she’d have to sit in some tiny little room at the rectory and confess all her mistakes to a complete stranger, all just to end up with a tiny piece of a wafer. Needless to say, her interest vanished instantly.

That was a pretty spot-on way to put it, though you're right, that's exactly what's happening. 👍
And parents end up going along with it mostly because they feel like they don't really have a choice. 🤣