Religion classes in school - Megathread

Larry Walker24 said:A student isn't allowed to leave campus, so don't mess around.

If something happens to the kid, who's to blame? The school? You?

It’s not impossible. If they have an elective right before class starts, they can just head out and come back later.
Everything is doable if you just work out the details.

silentmason4 said:But wait, if they aren't heading out, what are they actually supposed to be doing during those religious studies classes they skip?

Honestly, over here, religious studies isn't really the headache—it's more about the bus situation, since we have so many kids commuting. The school bus doesn't roll around until after sixth period, so if you aren't signed up for those elective classes, you're basically stuck there until the end of the day.
Usually, we just find an empty classroom, cram everyone in there, and stick one teacher with them just to make sure nobody starts a riot—you know, just keeping the peace. They end up doing homework, playing tic-tac-toe, or just scrolling through their phones... Or, if parents sign a waiver letting them leave, they just wander around town for a bit before catching the bus.
And generally, if someone has a gap in their schedule because of electives—which happens all the time since we have so many teachers traveling between different schools to squeeze everything into a couple of days—we just stick them in a "study hall" with whatever class happens to be at gym during that block. Everyone wins. 😛

Larry Walker24 said:A student isn't allowed to leave campus, so don't mess around.

If something happens to the kid, who's to blame? The school? You?

And what if they have classes until, say, 1:00 PM, and then an elective at 2:45 PM? Who’s responsible if something goes wrong during that gap?
What's really the difference between a student staying at school for six hours straight versus them coming home for lunch and heading back for an afternoon elective? Or compare that to a schedule where they have two math classes, pop home for breakfast while others are in study hall, and then come back for history and English?
Is there actually a difference?
They left the building and came right back. 🤷

I totally get why this is a headache for elementary schools—especially those early grades—but I don't see it being such a huge issue for high schools when kids are just returning for their electives.

The issue with the younger kids could be solved easily by scheduling study hall during their downtime so they stay under supervision (even if they're just outside). For the older kids, you can just schedule their classes at the very beginning or end of the day. If that's not possible because of how the single-session schedules work, then just let them hang out outside or provide a common area for them. A school that's genuinely terrified of a kid getting into a car accident during a free period will go to extreme lengths to ensure that gap period never even exists in the first place...

Larry Walker24 said:A student isn't allowed to leave campus, so don't mess around.

If something happens to the kid, who's to blame? The school? You?

I haven't heard anything more idiotic in a long time. Is the school responsible if a kid gets hurt on their way to class, or if third period starts instead of first? Stop encouraging this kind of sheer stupidity.

silentmason4 said:Alright, so I was actually wondering if there’s an official rulebook or some kind of policy on this. Honestly, I feel like one should exist—it seems like such a common occurrence, and we shouldn't really be leaving it up to a random tug-of-war between the school administration and parents to decide what's fair. But as far as I can tell, there isn't one. That's just the way it is.

The rule is simply that religious studies should be treated on equal footing with other standard subjects (aside from other electives or maybe advanced math).
Everything else basically boils down to how the school interprets things and how much pressure parents apply.

If we start pushing for strict new regulations, we might end up creating a parallel curriculum system (like some of these critical viewpoints suggest). If you're being smart about this, I wouldn't recommend going down that road—not for the sake of your own kids or future generations. We already have enough to deal with in high school.
Thanks, but we don't need more complexity.
Plus, why waste taxpayer money on hiring extra staff for subjects that feel unnecessary?

That said, anything can be organized if you stay persistent and get a little creative.
Don't settle for half-baked solutions either.
Ask questions, and don't be afraid to offer your own suggestions.

Jacob Lopez2 said:I haven't heard anything more idiotic in a long time. Is the school responsible if a kid gets hurt on their way to class, or if third period starts instead of first? Stop encouraging this kind of sheer stupidity.

My principal actually banned us from leaving campus if we have a 45-minute gap in our schedule; we're forced to just sit in the library instead.

Sarah Hall53 said:Honestly, over here, religious studies isn't really the headache—it's more about the bus situation, since we have so many kids commuting. The school bus doesn't roll around until after sixth period, so if you aren't signed up for those elective classes, you're basically stuck there until the end of the day.
Usually, we just find an empty classroom, cram everyone in there, and stick one teacher with them just to make sure nobody starts a riot—you know, just keeping the peace. They end up doing homework, playing tic-tac-toe, or just scrolling through their phones... Or, if parents sign a waiver letting them leave, they just wander around town for a bit before catching the bus.
And generally, if someone has a gap in their schedule because of electives—which happens all the time since we have so many teachers traveling between different schools to squeeze everything into a couple of days—we just stick them in a "study hall" with whatever class happens to be at gym during that block. Everyone wins. 😛

That actually sounds like a solid plan. 👍
Actually, any kind of organized setup during that time sounds good to me. It’s just unacceptable to me that a kid would be sitting stuck outside a door in the hallway or hiding in a restroom, like someone else mentioned here.

Susan James said:The rule is simply that religious studies should be treated on equal footing with other standard subjects (aside from other electives or maybe advanced math).
Everything else basically boils down to how the school interprets things and how much pressure parents apply.

If we start pushing for strict new regulations, we might end up creating a parallel curriculum system (like some of these critical viewpoints suggest). If you're being smart about this, I wouldn't recommend going down that road—not for the sake of your own kids or future generations. We already have enough to deal with in high school.
Thanks, but we don't need more complexity.
Plus, why waste taxpayer money on hiring extra staff for subjects that feel unnecessary?

That said, anything can be organized if you stay persistent and get a little creative.
Don't settle for half-baked solutions either.
Ask questions, and don't be afraid to offer your own suggestions.

Am I really supposed to be "persistent and creative" when it comes to figuring out how to fill scheduling gaps for kids who aren't taking religion class? 😕
That’s not my job description, and frankly, it's not something I care to solve myself. I just want to know the kids are being looked after. How the administration handles it is up to the people whose actual job it is. If they think the best way to handle it is by offering a different elective, then fine by me.

I guess I should probably start by saying that I don't really know if this is the right place to bring this up... maybe? But I feel like it’s important. Anyway, regarding what gentleowl35 said—I think they might have a point, though I’m not entirely sure. It feels like we aren't looking at the full picture here. If we just jump to conclusions without checking the facts first, we might end up making a huge mistake. I mean, it’s possible I’m wrong, but I just feel strongly about it. We really need to be careful.

I suppose there might be some truth to that. Maybe. It’s just one way to look at it, I guess. gentleowl35 says: Just write that it’s on your own responsibility. Honestly, who cares where the kids end up? As long as you don't sue them for breaking a leg climbing trees in front of the school during class hours. 😁

Sarah Hall53 said:Around here, if parents sign off on it, students are actually allowed to head out once they hit a free period in their schedule. It’s all done under their own responsibility—as long as they check in with the teacher on duty first. That way, there's no confusion about who's accountable if anything happens.

That's fine by me. I'm always signing things—usually just mindless paperwork anyway—so I might as well sign this one too. I guess we'll just have to see what happens tomorrow...

Susan James said:The rule is simply that religious studies should be treated on equal footing with other standard subjects (aside from other electives or maybe advanced math).
Everything else basically boils down to how the school interprets things and how much pressure parents apply.

If we start pushing for strict new regulations, we might end up creating a parallel curriculum system (like some of these critical viewpoints suggest). If you're being smart about this, I wouldn't recommend going down that road—not for the sake of your own kids or future generations. We already have enough to deal with in high school.
Thanks, but we don't need more complexity.
Plus, why waste taxpayer money on hiring extra staff for subjects that feel unnecessary?

That said, anything can be organized if you stay persistent and get a little creative.
Don't settle for half-baked solutions either.
Ask questions, and don't be afraid to offer your own suggestions.

I agree with the bolded part. At least now there is some kind of choice (religion or nothing). If they bring this subject in, it’ll be one or the other. Whichever way they go, they’re definitely going to mess up. 😁

silentmason4 said:That actually sounds like a solid plan. 👍
Actually, any kind of organized setup during that time sounds good to me. It’s just unacceptable to me that a kid would be sitting stuck outside a door in the hallway or hiding in a restroom, like someone else mentioned here.

Am I really supposed to be "persistent and creative" when it comes to figuring out how to fill scheduling gaps for kids who aren't taking religion class? 😕
That’s not my job description, and frankly, it's not something I care to solve myself. I just want to know the kids are being looked after. How the administration handles it is up to the people whose actual job it is. If they think the best way to handle it is by offering a different elective, then fine by me.

Different schools handle the religious education issue in all sorts of ways.
While some parents are busy complaining that something isn't possible, in other districts, they make it work just fine.

You can either sit at home waiting for someone to solve everything according to a divine plan, or you can actually suggest a solution based on what other schools are doing or what seems practical to you.🤷

Even though I believe schools have a duty to look after the students—meaning creating a schedule that works for everyone without leaving anyone hanging—I also realize they’re often stuck in an impossible situation. They're trying to juggle conflicting needs and various parental demands, which makes scheduling a total headache.
There’s nothing wrong with a parent asking if a certain arrangement is doable, or mentioning that they heard from a friend or saw on a forum that another school handles it differently...🤔

Since I know it's entirely possible to schedule religion classes outside of standard hours (for instance, my kids haven't had any awkward gaps in their schedule for three years now), I'm really not a fan of the idea of inventing these "special" subjects that supposedly foster critical thinking.
I know there are better ways to do this. Beyond just not wanting to clutter my child's day with unnecessary classes, I don't think it's right to use a tight school budget to pay for a teacher for a "make-believe" subject that only serves five or ten kids. Regardless of the headcount, religious education is a requirement that the school has to provide.

There are other school solutions that I just can't get behind, either.
Take Summer, for example; I would never agree to let my child sit through a religion class, but I wouldn't mind at all if she spent that time in math, art, or joining another class for PE. While those other kids were in religion class, she was often in the library, sometimes with a teacher and sometimes on her own in a quiet classroom. She’d read books, draw comics, or even get some homework done (though she did find the supervision a bit boring at times).
And I definitely wouldn't want her sitting in some supervised "holding area" for two hours. She lives close enough to walk home, hang out with friends, or just sit outside in the fresh air before heading back to school.

If people are actually looking for solutions, I’ve got one right here.
Move religious education out of the public school system and into local churches; let whoever wants to attend go, and the whole problem is solved.

Matthew Young35 said:If people are actually looking for solutions, I’ve got one right here.
Move religious education out of the public school system and into local churches; let whoever wants to attend go, and the whole problem is solved.

I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Let's focus on fixing the actual issue within the school system itself.

In my opinion, we might actually see a shift if parents stopped opting their kids into those specific classes.

mellowskipper said:It’s the same deal with religious studies—the agreements with the Holy See mean it can't just be bumped to an after-school slot like computer science or a foreign language might be.
It is a protected, privileged elective subject, and the relationship with the Government is essentially unbreakable.
If we assume, purely hypothetically, that religious studies could be moved to an opposite shift, it would free up an extra two hours a week. That time could go toward a brand-new subject, or maybe more math, or PE, or whatever else is needed...
Personally, I haven't heard of any school where religious studies actually runs during the opposite shift.

So basically, they think religion matters more than tech skills or learning a second language.
God help us and the kids coming up next... ☕

If a student from a different faith wants to take an Islamic or Orthodox religious studies class, they end up doing it outside of regular hours—all while sitting through Catholic classes during the school day just yawning away the time. Everything should be put back where it belongs, and that isn't inside the classroom.
Making "Critical Thinking" a formal subject only makes sense if it’s actually replacing religious education entirely. Right now, every other option just piles more onto an already packed schedule. It’s like instead of one two-hour block, kids are stuck with two hours of religion plus two hours of computer science. Students who don't pick an elective still end up spending four extra hours a week sitting through classes they didn't even choose...
To me, it's total madness. Not to mention how unfair it is to the kids who skip religion altogether, or even worse, those forced to attend a religious class that isn't even offered at their school, meaning they have to head to a church or mosque on a Saturday just to make up for it.
I've heard people talk about this for years, but seeing it firsthand at my little girl's school this year is just insane. She's only in first grade, and she's already pulling five-hour days three times a week.

Daniel Diaz6 said:If a student from a different faith wants to take an Islamic or Orthodox religious studies class, they end up doing it outside of regular hours—all while sitting through Catholic classes during the school day just yawning away the time. Everything should be put back where it belongs, and that isn't inside the classroom.
Making "Critical Thinking" a formal subject only makes sense if it’s actually replacing religious education entirely. Right now, every other option just piles more onto an already packed schedule. It’s like instead of one two-hour block, kids are stuck with two hours of religion plus two hours of computer science. Students who don't pick an elective still end up spending four extra hours a week sitting through classes they didn't even choose...
To me, it's total madness. Not to mention how unfair it is to the kids who skip religion altogether, or even worse, those forced to attend a religious class that isn't even offered at their school, meaning they have to head to a church or mosque on a Saturday just to make up for it.
I've heard people talk about this for years, but seeing it firsthand at my little girl's school this year is just insane. She's only in first grade, and she's already pulling five-hour days three times a week.

At the school my daughter attends, they offer religious education options for all major faiths.

Religious studies classes are conducted based on eight current programs designed to accommodate
various different faiths.
If your answer is YES, please mark (CIRCLE) the number in front of the religious study program
you have selected:
1. Catholic studies
2. Orthodox studies
3. Islamic studies
4. Jewish studies
5. Basics of Christian Adventist religion
6. Fundamentals of the Gospel of the Church of >
7. Evangelical studies
8. Gospel studies

Wait, I don't think everyone actually has their classes scheduled at the exact same time as religion class, right?

Sarah Hall53 said:Wait, I don't think everyone actually has their classes scheduled at the exact same time as religion class, right?

Look, I honestly don't know for sure. According to the schedule, religion is just one block—the last two periods on Friday. From what I gather, about 18 kids head off to Catholic studies, while 4 of us skip it entirely... so during that time, we’re just hanging out in after-school care with our teacher. Since this survey was handled during enrollment, it's totally possible they organized the class schedules based on which religious elective the kids picked in the first place.
Or maybe it's timed so that while some kids are in Catholic studies, the others are in whatever different program they signed up for.

Sarah Hall53 said:Wait, I don't think everyone actually has their classes scheduled at the exact same time as religion class, right?

Actually, those students just take their religious education outside of school hours or during a different period😬

And they form a loud enough minority to ensure that religious studies always ends up being scheduled for the first period.
It happens every single time.

Susan James said:I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Let's focus on fixing the actual issue within the school system itself.

In my opinion, we might actually see a shift if parents stopped opting their kids into those specific classes.

The whole mess boils down to this: if a kid isn't enrolled in those religious studies classes at school, they can't take communion, and eventually, they can't even graduate or move up the social ladder within the community.
So, effectively, the church uses these milestones to hold people's hands, right? Because let's face it, most families still give a damn about their kids hitting those traditional milestones and sacraments.

If you want a real fix, you have to get religious instruction out of the public school system entirely—that's the only way, but let's be real, that’s never going to happen in this country.

My kid started first grade this year, and right when I was filling out the enrollment paperwork, I checked the box for religious education.
Why? Honestly, because I didn't want him just wandering the hallways or stuck in some empty classroom while everyone else was busy.
Everything seemed fine until that first class actually happened. After he got home, he absolutely lost it, telling me he couldn't sit through that stuff and that we couldn't possibly wait until the end of the school year to pull him out.
He was genuinely distraught.
And look, it wasn't even the teacher's fault; it was the actual material being taught that just clashed so hard with how his little mind was starting to work.
To be totally honest, I had no clue it would hit him that hard.

I took him straight to the office to unenroll him immediately, even though it was the very beginning of the term. They told me normally you have to wait until the end of the year, but they made an exception for us.

In the end, it worked out fine; there are plenty of other kids who don't attend those classes, so the school has ways to keep them occupied during that period anyway.

Richard Morris43 said:The whole mess boils down to this: if a kid isn't enrolled in those religious studies classes at school, they can't take communion, and eventually, they can't even graduate or move up the social ladder within the community.
So, effectively, the church uses these milestones to hold people's hands, right? Because let's face it, most families still give a damn about their kids hitting those traditional milestones and sacraments.

If you want a real fix, you have to get religious instruction out of the public school system entirely—that's the only way, but let's be real, that’s never going to happen in this country.

My kid started first grade this year, and right when I was filling out the enrollment paperwork, I checked the box for religious education.
Why? Honestly, because I didn't want him just wandering the hallways or stuck in some empty classroom while everyone else was busy.
Everything seemed fine until that first class actually happened. After he got home, he absolutely lost it, telling me he couldn't sit through that stuff and that we couldn't possibly wait until the end of the school year to pull him out.
He was genuinely distraught.
And look, it wasn't even the teacher's fault; it was the actual material being taught that just clashed so hard with how his little mind was starting to work.
To be totally honest, I had no clue it would hit him that hard.

I took him straight to the office to unenroll him immediately, even though it was the very beginning of the term. They told me normally you have to wait until the end of the year, but they made an exception for us.

In the end, it worked out fine; there are plenty of other kids who don't attend those classes, so the school has ways to keep them occupied during that period anyway.

But what exactly happened in that first lesson to upset him so much?