Religion classes in school - Megathread

jadetrucker43 said:Teachers... religion class? 😬

Could you please provide a source for that claim?

As a math teacher, I absolutely refuse to agree with these claims you're pulling out of thin air.

Anyway, separate from those posts, in an earlier (deleted) one, you mentioned that religion should have a place in public schools. My direct question to you is this: why? Why should religion—an elective subject centered on faith—be part of a public educational institution instead of being handled by a private religious institution meant for that purpose?

Look, it’s not guesswork. I’m talking to elementary school teachers and math professors who are my actual friends and people I trust. Plus, I have several family members working as teachers in our local school districts.

You don't have to agree with me. I know where I stand on this.

If you actually work in education—and if that's even the case here—please, try to carry yourself with a bit more grace and decorum. Not even for my sake, but for the sake of the dignity of the teaching profession itself.

You’re clearly trying hard to act all high and mighty, but honestly? It just isn't working. I’m going to post whatever I want on this forum—you certainly aren't in any position to tell me otherwise. 🙄

You completely dodged the two main points I made:

jadetrucker43 said:Teachers... religion class? 😬

Could you please provide a source for that claim?

As a math teacher, I absolutely refuse to agree with these claims you're pulling out of thin air.

Anyway, separate from those posts, in an earlier (deleted) one, you mentioned that religion should have a place in public schools. My direct question to you is this: why? Why should religion—an elective subject centered on faith—be part of a public educational institution instead of being handled by a private religious institution meant for that purpose?

jadetrucker43 said:Teachers... religion class? 😬

Could you please provide a source for that claim?

As a math teacher, I absolutely refuse to agree with these claims you're pulling out of thin air.

Anyway, separate from those posts, in an earlier (deleted) one, you mentioned that religion should have a place in public schools. My direct question to you is this: why? Why should religion—an elective subject centered on faith—be part of a public educational institution instead of being handled by a private religious institution meant for that purpose?

Until you come back with a coherent, reasoned response, you don't really have any credibility here.

Joseph Sanchez10 said:A recent UNICEF study on about 1,000 K-12 students found that kids who don't take religious studies get bullied the most by their peers. Coming in second was discrimination against kids from low-income families, then national identity issues, and finally religious minorities

Not sure if I copied the link right, maybe

Not surprising at all. Of course, the kids aren't the problem; it's the nonsense being shoved into their heads by teachers, clergy, parents, grandparents... the whole lot of them.

Daniel Chase13 said:I’ll say it again—based on my conversations with several different teachers—math might still have one period too many, but honestly, the actual number of hours isn't even the biggest issue here. The real headache is how packed the curriculum is; it's just way too much material for most kids to digest properly.

Then you have principals and parents unfairly blaming the teachers, claiming they aren't "reaching" the students. I mean, how are they supposed to succeed when they're being crushed under the weight of a syllabus designed this way?

A good chunk of what kids are expected to learn in math today really should be pushed back by at least a year. Instead of this frantic race to cover everything, we ought to focus on building a rock-solid foundation for those advanced topics later on. For instance, some of the stuff taught in fifth grade really belongs in sixth grade—we should trim the volume of topics and make sure they actually stick.

As for that small group of high achievers who need more, we can always provide extra challenge problems or supplemental advanced sessions to keep them engaged.

Oh, absolutely. Kids are just clueless. Who needs math in the real world anyway? They won't get why it matters regardless. As long as they can say three Hail Marys in a row, they'll be just fine for the rest of their lives.

Jason Ortiz5 said:Oh, absolutely. Kids are just clueless. Who needs math in the real world anyway? They won't get why it matters regardless. As long as they can say three Hail Marys in a row, they'll be just fine for the rest of their lives.

That sounds more like you than me.

You know perfectly well I never said that, nor did I mean it. I was quite clear in my wording, and anyone actually paying attention would have caught that—it really just comes down to how you choose to see it.

Based on my conversations with teachers, what I was actually saying is that the current frantic pace—that rush to churn through math curriculum because of the way the state mandates these rigid plans—makes math far too difficult for a huge number of kids.

By burying them under an inappropriate amount of material for their age, we're actually preventing them from truly grasping math or finding it interesting and relevant.

Faith and math aren't at odds here; after all, they both stem from God the Creator. The laws of nature and mathematical principles, much like our spiritual and moral laws, were established by the same Legislator. That’s why religious studies and mathematics don't have to be in conflict.

In fact, some great religious educators make sure to remind students that when they study mathematical truths, biological facts, physics, or chemistry, they are essentially studying parts of God's creation. These teachers encourage students to excel in all their subjects as a way of honoring their Creator.
It’s just another way to see how religious education connects with everything else taught in school.

I remember reading about the most avid young reader in Washington, D.C., back in 2017—a boy who spent his time reading The Bible in comic form, Catholic books published by Salesian houses or the Vatican Council, and even Christian allegories like Narnia. He even sings in the church choir. And the kicker? He absolutely loves chemistry and biology.

Daniel Chase13 said:Quincy:

mariana3 As you mentioned: I was chatting with a group of kids from an average elementary school class over in Washington, D.C. the other day, and I picked up something pretty interesting—or maybe just a bit sobering. It turns out about three-quarters of them are sitting through religious education classes simply because "that’s what their parents want," even though they aren't actually interested in it themselves. One kid even told me straight up that they "don't really believe in those things." It’s a candid little snapshot of where things stand with that generation. It’s funny how these students work—they’ll spend the whole period throwing out these "awkward," challenging questions during class, only to have the teacher shut them down or cut them off mid-sentence. But despite all that questioning, they’ve already mentally checked out. They’ve accepted that this is just another credit to chase—just another subject where they need to cram a bunch of facts into their heads, pass the test, and move on. It’s just a complete waste of time for them—honestly, I don't see the point.

From chatting with a few teachers I know, I’ve seen cases where kids actually look forward to their religion class—I’m being literal here. To use the exact phrase those teachers always use: they absolutely adore their instructors.

It feels like we’re back at it again—focusing entirely on one single mistake made by one specific religion teacher. It’s funny how that works. You see teachers and professors across every other subject making the exact same kinds of errors, yet somehow, this one instance gets singled out for scrutiny.

It also really comes down to how students actually approach the questions—I mean, there’s a massive difference between genuine curiosity and just being disruptive. If they’re constantly cutting people off or throwing out random, off-topic questions just to derail the lesson, then you can't really blame a religion teacher for setting some boundaries. It’s only natural that they’d want to maintain control over the classroom environment when things start getting disrespectful or completely lose focus.

You know, I hear this all the time from students—and honestly, even from their parents—that spending so much time grinding through advanced math is just a massive waste of energy. Their argument is always the same: they’ll never actually use these complex formulas or equations in their day-to-day lives once they graduate. It’s a common sentiment, and when you look at how much time is dedicated to it, I can see why they feel that way.

For some students, the bulk of the required reading list for American literature feels like nothing more than a tedious slog—honestly, just a massive waste of time.

For some students, certain sections in their biology or history textbooks feel like absolute nonsense—just a total waste of time spent memorizing fabricated stories that don't seem to have any real-world application.

Honestly, I feel like for certain students, memorizing all those granular details about different countries and their economic structures—stuff you'd typically find in a geography textbook—is just a complete waste of time. It feels pretty unnecessary to most of them.

For some students, memorizing every single historical date feels like a complete waste of energy—honestly, it can feel pretty pointless when you're sitting there staring at a textbook.

For some students...

I don't think anyone would actually support cutting entire subjects from our school curriculum just because of a single "for certain students" argument. Honestly, that logic shouldn't apply to any subject we teach—it’s just not how a solid education system should work.

Honestly, this whole thing where you pretend not to understand what people are posting is getting a little exhausting.

My apologies for feeding the trolls earlier, I really won't 🕺

It truly warms my heart to see that there are still people out there who understand that sheer intelligence isn't everything; one must also nurture a student's growth in other vital areas... specifically within their social, artistic, and spiritual development... It simply isn't all about intellectual capacity. It really isn't. And for those children growing up in households that might not have the means to enroll them in elite music academies, competitive sports leagues, or even local youth community programs—school still serves as the fundamental bedrock for everything. A little bit of everything. Both in terms of character building and academic instruction. Thank God for that.

Nancy Kelly31 said:It truly warms my heart to see that there are still people out there who understand that sheer intelligence isn't everything; one must also nurture a student's growth in other vital areas... specifically within their social, artistic, and spiritual development... It simply isn't all about intellectual capacity. It really isn't. And for those children growing up in households that might not have the means to enroll them in elite music academies, competitive sports leagues, or even local youth community programs—school still serves as the fundamental bedrock for everything. A little bit of everything. Both in terms of character building and academic instruction. Thank God for that.

Exactly. God made it possible for us. We owe Him thanks.

Jacob Lopez2 said:Exactly. God made it possible for us. We owe Him thanks.

🤣🤣🤣
👍

Nancy Kelly31 said:It truly warms my heart to see that there are still people out there who understand that sheer intelligence isn't everything; one must also nurture a student's growth in other vital areas... specifically within their social, artistic, and spiritual development... It simply isn't all about intellectual capacity. It really isn't. And for those children growing up in households that might not have the means to enroll them in elite music academies, competitive sports leagues, or even local youth community programs—school still serves as the fundamental bedrock for everything. A little bit of everything. Both in terms of character building and academic instruction. Thank God for that.

I'm with you on the social and artistic stuff, but spirituality? That doesn't belong in a public school building. Spirituality is deeply personal—it belongs in someone's own private life, not a classroom.

Intelligence isn't everything. It really isn't. Even for kids coming from families that can't afford music lessons, elite sports clubs, or church youth programs—school still provides the foundation for everything. A little bit of everything. It's about character and education combined.

Music school, sports leagues, and church volunteers all in one sentence. That's hilarious.

School is primarily an educational institution. Even "character-building" subjects like art or music have a core academic component where kids learn about art history, how instruments work, specific techniques... Religion class is the only subject where the direct goal feels like ideological indoctrination.

Thank God for that.

That's not really what this is about. We can just thank the idiots who signed the Concordat.

Jason Ortiz5 said:I'm with you on the social and artistic stuff, but spirituality? That doesn't belong in a public school building. Spirituality is deeply personal—it belongs in someone's own private life, not a classroom.

Intelligence isn't everything. It really isn't. Even for kids coming from families that can't afford music lessons, elite sports clubs, or church youth programs—school still provides the foundation for everything. A little bit of everything. It's about character and education combined.

Music school, sports leagues, and church volunteers all in one sentence. That's hilarious.

School is primarily an educational institution. Even "character-building" subjects like art or music have a core academic component where kids learn about art history, how instruments work, specific techniques... Religion class is the only subject where the direct goal feels like ideological indoctrination.

Thank God for that.

That's not really what this is about. We can just thank the idiots who signed the Concordat.

Him? Honestly, what an absolute chauvinist.😁

rowdyjackal56 said:Him? Honestly, what an absolute chauvinist.😁

John Doe! 😬

Daniel Chase13 said:😁

I don't think so—mostly because we already have plenty of alternatives available in high schools. In fact, about 82% of students in American high schools choose religious studies as their elective, while only 18% opt for an Ethics course instead.

So, if you look at what's actually happening on the ground, there isn't really any fear surrounding religious education in our schools. Honestly, I’m all for introducing more diverse elective options.

Can you provide a source for those percentages?

At my local high school, the split between religious studies and ethics is roughly 50:50—though ethics seems to be gaining ground.

Hi everyone... Not sure if this is the right spot for school religious ed questions, but if anyone knows the deal, please let me know.

My kid is starting 3rd grade. She took religious education classes at school during 1st and 2nd grade. Since she’s hitting that age for First Communion this year, I went to the local parish to sign her up. However, the priest told me she can't do it this year because she needs to attend church-based religious ed for at least two years first. When I pointed out that she’s already done two years of it at school, he just said school classes don't count toward First Communion prep.
Is he just being difficult, or is that actually a rule from the Vatican?
I wish I could get some official clarification from someone in Vatican City, since it feels like every priest has their own set of rules...
Has anyone dealt with this? I'd love some advice or info...
Best,

They have a point there. There are certainly some priests out there who choose to ignore the guidelines, effectively acting against their own bishop's directives, yet it is truly heartening to hear that there are those who remain conscientious in maintaining their parish catechism programs...

My kids don't take religious studies classes, but from what I understand, students who opt into that curriculum in third grade usually attend sessions at their local church too—maybe once a week. At least, that’s how it works here in Washington, D.C.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using Reddit

Hey everyone, just wanted to share something that happened today—we showed up for the first day of first grade and already got tomorrow's schedule. Apparently, they have a two-hour block for religion class first thing! Is that even normal? Since when did we start doing these massive blocks?...

Our kid isn't even taking that class, so they'll just be hanging out with the teacher in the library for those two hours before we head home. It feels pretty silly to have such a huge gap compared to the rest of the week when the schedule is actually full. Plus, having religion classes at school feels weird, especially lately with how some first priests won't even let kids take their communion if they haven't been attending church services. On top of that, most of the school librarians this year aren't even letting kids hang out in the library, so I have no clue how this whole situation is actually going to work out. 🍿

Chloe Moore5 said:Hey everyone, just wanted to share something that happened today—we showed up for the first day of first grade and already got tomorrow's schedule. Apparently, they have a two-hour block for religion class first thing! Is that even normal? Since when did we start doing these massive blocks?...

Our kid isn't even taking that class, so they'll just be hanging out with the teacher in the library for those two hours before we head home. It feels pretty silly to have such a huge gap compared to the rest of the week when the schedule is actually full. Plus, having religion classes at school feels weird, especially lately with how some first priests won't even let kids take their communion if they haven't been attending church services. On top of that, most of the school librarians this year aren't even letting kids hang out in the library, so I have no clue how this whole situation is actually going to work out. 🍿

I don't get it, why can't the kid just stay home while the rest of them are off at religion class?

Tell me about it. My kid used to head straight home whenever religion class was the last period of the day.