Religion classes in school - Megathread

I suppose I misspoke; it isn't that I’m trying to go against the grain, it's just that I find it rather pathetic when everyone else seems to be moving forward while I’m left behind. I really ought to get my head straight on this matter before September rolls around. 😵

driftinggull83 said:I suppose I misspoke; it isn't that I’m trying to go against the grain, it's just that I find it rather pathetic when everyone else seems to be moving forward while I’m left behind. I really ought to get my head straight on this matter before September rolls around. 😵

Well, don't go into this thinking he'll be the lone wolf. Don't commit him to it just yet; if it turns out he actually is the only one going this fall, you'll still have time to change your mind. It's much easier to pivot now than to sign him up only to realize there are actually plenty of others participating after all.😉

driftinggull83, if you're in Chicago, just check "no" on those enrollment forms for now. You'll get another survey for religion class on the first day of school anyway, just in case anyone changes their mind. You'll see how many kids don't even get the textbooks—that's basically your answer right there. It’s easy to switch it up later if you need to.
Personally, I didn't care about being the only one skipping it. There are six of us in the end.

Let’s be honest, children aren't exactly motivated by deep theological convictions when it comes to attending religious education classes—I mean, unless you count that one hyper-aware six-year-old who probably understands existentialism better than most adults—but rather they simply follow the lead of their parents or drift toward whatever their buddies are doing.
I can already see my little guy wanting to sign up just because his best friend is going, but we are firmly positioned to steer him in a different direction. We have already made the decision that he won't be participating, and interestingly enough, when other parents asked if he was attending, they seemed almost visibly relieved when we said no; currently, there are four families I know who are opting out, which essentially constitutes an entire cohort. However, someone has to be the catalyst; a critical mass has to be established, otherwise, we are just spinning our wheels without any real progress.
Because I recognize the potential for building a significant movement within this school district, he will be attending the local sessions here rather than waiting until we relocate before the new school year kicks off. It is quite simple: an individual acting in isolation can certainly speak up or take a stand, but the odds are heavily stacked against them. It is through organized collective action that actual miracles happen, so let's see how this unfolds.

rowdyjackal56 said:Let’s be honest, children aren't exactly motivated by deep theological convictions when it comes to attending religious education classes—I mean, unless you count that one hyper-aware six-year-old who probably understands existentialism better than most adults—but rather they simply follow the lead of their parents or drift toward whatever their buddies are doing.
I can already see my little guy wanting to sign up just because his best friend is going, but we are firmly positioned to steer him in a different direction. We have already made the decision that he won't be participating, and interestingly enough, when other parents asked if he was attending, they seemed almost visibly relieved when we said no; currently, there are four families I know who are opting out, which essentially constitutes an entire cohort. However, someone has to be the catalyst; a critical mass has to be established, otherwise, we are just spinning our wheels without any real progress.
Because I recognize the potential for building a significant movement within this school district, he will be attending the local sessions here rather than waiting until we relocate before the new school year kicks off. It is quite simple: an individual acting in isolation can certainly speak up or take a stand, but the odds are heavily stacked against them. It is through organized collective action that actual miracles happen, so let's see how this unfolds.

I mean, obviously kids aren't doing it based on their own beliefs.
But then again, I suppose most parents aren't pushing it because of a sudden spiritual awakening either; it’s usually more about just following the social flow, like if the neighbor's kid is doing it.

I honestly haven't the slightest clue how many kids in my little one's class attend religious studies or skip it, mostly because I just don't really care to find out. If anyone even brought it up during a PTA meeting, I don't think I even registered it.

urbantinker8 said:I mean, obviously kids aren't doing it based on their own beliefs.
But then again, I suppose most parents aren't pushing it because of a sudden spiritual awakening either; it’s usually more about just following the social flow, like if the neighbor's kid is doing it.

I honestly haven't the slightest clue how many kids in my little one's class attend religious studies or skip it, mostly because I just don't really care to find out. If anyone even brought it up during a PTA meeting, I don't think I even registered it.

I don't know, personally, knowing where the kids are during those religious studies periods and seeing how many opt out was important to me, both before enrollment and once we actually signed up.
I tend to stay in the loop regarding who isn't attending; I often hear bits and pieces of conversation about what people said or what they were up to during that block.

I also feel it's important for a child to understand why they aren't attending and to know ahead of time what they'll be doing instead of that (or lack of) class.
And despite our parental preference for it being the first period of the day, my kid much prefers it when it happens mid-day, mostly because they say they have more fun then 😂
(they're great at getting their homework done too; they've already finished all their reading assignments during that time, so they really make the most of that hour)

It’s one thing to talk about where kids might be hanging out at that particular hour, but it's an entirely different matter to worry about how many there actually are.
To be honest, I don't see why anyone would care about the second part; I mean, what am I supposed to do with that kind of information?
Whether there are three of them or seven, it doesn't really make much of a difference to me, I guess. 🤷

I can't help but wonder who my kid is hanging out with during religious studies class.
My decision to enroll them isn't based on their social circle, obviously, but I'm still curious.
And honestly, I'm just glad they aren't going alone; having a few friends there makes it much better.

rowdypanther12 said:I can't help but wonder who my kid is hanging out with during religious studies class.
My decision to enroll them isn't based on their social circle, obviously, but I'm still curious.
And honestly, I'm just glad they aren't going alone; having a few friends there makes it much better.

I’m just not some Big Brother type who feels the need to monitor exactly which kids they're socializing with during those specific forty-five minutes once a week.🤷
I don't really look at things through that lens, I guess.
I already know their general circle of friends, so it doesn't feel particularly vital to me to track who they're with every Thursday between 11:30 and noon.

I honestly don't know, chatting with a nutritionist is just part of my routine, much like how we used to discuss religious studies back in school—you know, catching up on sports, seeing who’s walking to class alone, or who's sitting with whom...
Those kinds of things come up in our daily conversations all the time, so of course I'm curious.

rowdypanther12 said:I honestly don't know, chatting with a nutritionist is just part of my routine, much like how we used to discuss religious studies back in school—you know, catching up on sports, seeing who’s walking to class alone, or who's sitting with whom...
Those kinds of things come up in our daily conversations all the time, so of course I'm curious.

and I'm interested in stuff like who he sits with, what they covered in class, or if he picked up any new skills in PE...
but I really couldn't care less about exactly who he was chatting with or what the topic was last Thursday at 11:48 AM.
or on Tuesday during the big lunch break.
whatever.

I mean, look—take a scenario where your kid is in religion class, right? But the school bully isn't there; they just hang out in the library while the librarian is busy doing her own thing, or they're just loitering in the hallway... I honestly think that’s the kind of stuff you’d actually care about. Or what about that one kid who’s always looking for trouble? If it’s just two or three of them together, there's always that nagging worry that they might pull your kid into whatever mess they're planning. Suddenly, wouldn't you want to know about that too?

Sarah Hall53 said:I mean, look—take a scenario where your kid is in religion class, right? But the school bully isn't there; they just hang out in the library while the librarian is busy doing her own thing, or they're just loitering in the hallway... I honestly think that’s the kind of stuff you’d actually care about. Or what about that one kid who’s always looking for trouble? If it’s just two or three of them together, there's always that nagging worry that they might pull your kid into whatever mess they're planning. Suddenly, wouldn't you want to know about that too?

well, whether you believe me or not—I don't really think so.
The class bully is pretty much always around, whether it's during recess, during class, at lunch, or during after-school programs.
And when they're outside during those after-school hours (which lasts about an hour, sometimes longer), the teachers aren't constantly watching every single student. So, it's basically the same situation as the religious ed class.
I talk to my son quite a bit about how to handle people like that; he's got pretty strong social skills and knows how to hold his own, so he's not particularly easy to sway... so, crazy as it sounds, I'm not overly worried about potential dangerous situations.

Frankly, I don't see why we should care what a kid is doing when they aren't in religious studies; what does that have to do with attending the class in the first place? If a bully corners my child in the hallway and I find out there's an issue, of course we’re going to step in and take action, but that certainly doesn't mean my child should be forced into religious education because of it. The logic behind linking those two things is completely nonsensical to me.

Jacob Lopez2 said:Frankly, I don't see why we should care what a kid is doing when they aren't in religious studies; what does that have to do with attending the class in the first place? If a bully corners my child in the hallway and I find out there's an issue, of course we’re going to step in and take action, but that certainly doesn't mean my child should be forced into religious education because of it. The logic behind linking those two things is completely nonsensical to me.

You have to address a classroom bully regardless of whether that kid attends religion class or not, and it shouldn't matter if my own child goes to those classes either.
I don't really see the point in keeping tabs on who shows up, who stays away, or who's off causing trouble while the religion class is actually happening, I suppose.

urbantinker8 said:well, whether you believe me or not—I don't really think so.
The class bully is pretty much always around, whether it's during recess, during class, at lunch, or during after-school programs.
And when they're outside during those after-school hours (which lasts about an hour, sometimes longer), the teachers aren't constantly watching every single student. So, it's basically the same situation as the religious ed class.
I talk to my son quite a bit about how to handle people like that; he's got pretty strong social skills and knows how to hold his own, so he's not particularly easy to sway... so, crazy as it sounds, I'm not overly worried about potential dangerous situations.

Well, that's just your kid; not everyone is built that way.
There are children who have been raised to follow the crowd, kids who are shy, or those who, frankly, don't need to practice "life skills" by sitting alone in a hallway for two hours a week at the start of middle school.
Independence is learned in other ways, too.

To me, it feels completely normal (actually, it's pretty responsible) for a parent to check if their child will have a free period. You want to be able to prepare them accordingly.
Simply telling my daughter, "You know there's a class you can choose not to take, and we decided you won't go," just wasn't enough for her.
I explained why we didn't pick it, what actually happens during that time, and all the activities available during that period (based on what I heard from parents of older kids and the guidance counselors during enrollment).

Jacob Lopez2 said:Frankly, I don't see why we should care what a kid is doing when they aren't in religious studies; what does that have to do with attending the class in the first place? If a bully corners my child in the hallway and I find out there's an issue, of course we’re going to step in and take action, but that certainly doesn't mean my child should be forced into religious education because of it. The logic behind linking those two things is completely nonsensical to me.

But people try to think ahead. It's better to prevent something than to deal with the fallout later.
And the issue isn't just the class bully; it's that seven-year-old who ends up alone in the hallway (because they "accidentally" missed science class), wanders around the school, and then suddenly becomes an interesting target for the younger kids for whatever reason.
They could be questioned, teased for their lunch money, or pressured into all sorts of things...

That's why parents care so much about where their child is during religious studies and whether they'll be by themselves.
It's not like the library is open in every school, and not all teachers want to supervise the kids in religious studies, especially since it's often not part of their paid contract.

Susan James said:Well, that's just your kid; not everyone is built that way.
There are children who have been raised to follow the crowd, kids who are shy, or those who, frankly, don't need to practice "life skills" by sitting alone in a hallway for two hours a week at the start of middle school.
Independence is learned in other ways, too.

To me, it feels completely normal (actually, it's pretty responsible) for a parent to check if their child will have a free period. You want to be able to prepare them accordingly.
Simply telling my daughter, "You know there's a class you can choose not to take, and we decided you won't go," just wasn't enough for her.
I explained why we didn't pick it, what actually happens during that time, and all the activities available during that period (based on what I heard from parents of older kids and the guidance counselors during enrollment).

But people try to think ahead. It's better to prevent something than to deal with the fallout later.
And the issue isn't just the class bully; it's that seven-year-old who ends up alone in the hallway (because they "accidentally" missed science class), wanders around the school, and then suddenly becomes an interesting target for the younger kids for whatever reason.
They could be questioned, teased for their lunch money, or pressured into all sorts of things...

That's why parents care so much about where their child is during religious studies and whether they'll be by themselves.
It's not like the library is open in every school, and not all teachers want to supervise the kids in religious studies, especially since it's often not part of their paid contract.

well, thank goodness, I suppose; I'm talking about my own child, not anyone else's.
I'm speaking for myself here, not on behalf of someone else.

that’s why I keep saying that I really don't care who was where at any given moment.
He always tells me where he's been, and I don't feel the need to grill him every single time about who he was with, or exactly who said or did what during a specific timeframe.

for both me and my child, that's more than enough, I think.

Susan James said:Well, that's just your kid; not everyone is built that way.
There are children who have been raised to follow the crowd, kids who are shy, or those who, frankly, don't need to practice "life skills" by sitting alone in a hallway for two hours a week at the start of middle school.
Independence is learned in other ways, too.

To me, it feels completely normal (actually, it's pretty responsible) for a parent to check if their child will have a free period. You want to be able to prepare them accordingly.
Simply telling my daughter, "You know there's a class you can choose not to take, and we decided you won't go," just wasn't enough for her.
I explained why we didn't pick it, what actually happens during that time, and all the activities available during that period (based on what I heard from parents of older kids and the guidance counselors during enrollment).

But people try to think ahead. It's better to prevent something than to deal with the fallout later.
And the issue isn't just the class bully; it's that seven-year-old who ends up alone in the hallway (because they "accidentally" missed science class), wanders around the school, and then suddenly becomes an interesting target for the younger kids for whatever reason.
They could be questioned, teased for their lunch money, or pressured into all sorts of things...

That's why parents care so much about where their child is during religious studies and whether they'll be by themselves.
It's not like the library is open in every school, and not all teachers want to supervise the kids in religious studies, especially since it's often not part of their paid contract.

to me>, this whole thing feels like a massive exaggeration.
I mean, it seems like stuff like this would only really happen during religious studies class🙄 so it becomes incredibly important to track exactly how many kids from group A, B, or C are attending, which teacher happens to be working in the library at that exact moment, and why there isn't a makeup session—or why there *is* a makeup session at that specific time, which might end up discriminating against the rest of the class, and so on and so forth.🤦
just relax, everyone.☕

urbantinker8 said:to me>, this whole thing feels like a massive exaggeration.
I mean, it seems like stuff like this would only really happen during religious studies class🙄 so it becomes incredibly important to track exactly how many kids from group A, B, or C are attending, which teacher happens to be working in the library at that exact moment, and why there isn't a makeup session—or why there *is* a makeup session at that specific time, which might end up discriminating against the rest of the class, and so on and so forth.🤦
just relax, everyone.☕

I couldn't agree more with you. 🙂 My sister is constantly obsessing over every single possible scenario before anything even happens. Honestly, listening to her spiral like that is enough to give anyone a massive headache.

They coddle their own kids like they’re precious little teddy bears, then have the nerve to sit there acting all high and mighty about how they’d solve America's problems using someone else's children... meanwhile, looking at the enrollment numbers here, you can see they wouldn't even dare give their own kid a dirty look.