Religion classes in school - Megathread

Lawrence Torres56 said:Nah, that's the absolute truth, and if I were you, I'd report that teacher immediately. They don't have the right to act like that, especially not in an American religious studies class.

She doesn't even do it during the actual religious studies period, though. She usually just pops into the classrooms during break time. And look, it doesn't bother me one bit, and the girls actually find it pretty funny. If the church is truly demanding that kind of thing, then fine by me—people calling themselves believers should probably just step up and live it. Or, you know, fight their own battles.

James Alvarez2 said:So, basically... 😬

So someone’s out here claiming a teacher was asking for Mass attendance records, and you're telling them that's impossible and they should just report it...

but...

So Sarah Hall53 says there’s no obligation for a kid to go to extra classes, then you turn around and claim your kid absolutely has to be there...? You gonna report that or what...?

People just talk nonsense. They hear a rumor, twist it around, and add their own little spin just to have something to gossip about. It makes it hard to trust anyone when people stay silent on the stuff that actually matters... if there’s a real problem like that, we all know exactly where it is and who’s responsible for fixing it... I’m telling you right now, school teachers have absolutely no business making extra classes mandatory or putting grades on them......

I tweaked Italic a bit... 😬

You're misquoting me; I didn't say it was impossible, I said the teacher doesn't have the legal right to demand it... (there's a massive difference there)... and honestly, if someone finds that problematic, they should feel free to report that teacher, just like I’d probably report a teacher if they were bothering me🍿

Just typical forum drama from people who hunt for every misplaced comma in religious studies and are practically salivating at the chance to attack faith or believers—sorry, but I’m just not taking this seriously... especially when someone brings up that little sticker booklet that's strictly for church activities... you know, the one where the stickers are only given out based on a kid's word that they actually showed up to service...😉

So you’re totally fine with forcing your kid into extra tutoring when they clearly hate it... plus you have to write formal apologies because apparently since it's not an official elective, it's somehow your fault. It's your kid we're talking about.
The girls on here are posting about kids that aren't even theirs, just repeating stuff they hear at home.

Same deal?

Why would you even think they care?
Our local clergy who teach religion at the school also show up to Sunday mass at the parish where their students go.

James Alvarez2 said:So you’re totally fine with forcing your kid into extra tutoring when they clearly hate it... plus you have to write formal apologies because apparently since it's not an official elective, it's somehow your fault. It's your kid we're talking about.
The girls on here are posting about kids that aren't even theirs, just repeating stuff they hear at home.

Same deal?

Why would you even think they care?
Our local clergy who teach religion at the school also show up to Sunday mass at the parish where their students go.

You're totally drawing the wrong conclusion,

And honestly, what does it have to do with anything that the religion teacher attends Mass at the parish where the kids are members?
I mean, the kids aren't even required to attend Mass at that specific parish—even if they technically belong there—since Sunday services can be at 7:30, 9:00, 11:00, or 7:00 PM depending on the church... are you seriously suggesting the teacher attends every single service? Or that they're pressuring kids to show up just because they happen to be there at a certain time?🤔...which isn't how things work in religious education anyway.

And regarding that bolded part, it goes back to what I was saying earlier: someone hears something, adds a little flavor to it, twists it slightly, and suddenly you've got all these wild rumors flying around... personally, I don't judge people based on hearsay, but if you find that kind of gossip entertaining, hey, have at it.

Look, I can't speak for their experiences. I'm talking about what's happening right in MY parish—the one I belong to, where I go to Mass every single Sunday and help prep the kids for First Communion.
And this teacher of theirs, who I actually know, is handing out stickers at school—totally separate from the church religion classes—based on who showed up to the 9 AM service meant for kids. Though, I guess they can get a sticker at some other church if the priest feels like giving it to them.

And yeah, I reported him. Twice. Right after I first saw this crap going down a few years ago.
He’s still working there.

I've mentioned him before—this guy doesn't believe in evolution and literally threatens kids, telling them it's a sin to learn about evolution in biology class.
I even took his religious ed class once—at the church, obviously—and got a failing grade because I didn't memorize the seven deadly sins perfectly.
And I was just stuttering through middle school 🤣

I'm not attacking religious education itself. I'm attacking these "believers" who don't even know their own faith, people who sign their kids up for religious ed just to fit in with the community, people who don't actually live out the values they signed their kids up for... people who find it too much of a chore to take their kid to evening service. And I'm attacking the state for allowing religious instruction during regular school hours. I'm not even getting hung up on some kid misinterpreting something their teacher said to their mom; kids know when something is wrong and when someone is hurting them.
I see a ton of teachers acting like this all around me. And as long as we keep recruiting suckers into the UFC who just want a guaranteed paycheck and a steady job without actually working to spread the word... without learning in college that their primary job is to serve these kids, not judge them, kiss them, and die for them... instead of burning bridges with kids who don't attend religious ed... then kids will keep suffering because of this whole system.

Lawrence Torres56 said:

says:
but wait, if believing in Santa Claus is considered BELIEF, then isn't Catholicism basically just the study of belief? (I mean, that's literally what the word implies). So, shouldn't they be teaching about the belief in Santa Claus in religion class too? Or is this strictly limited to Catholic religion classes (and where exactly does it say that?)

Look, Santa Claus is all about marketing; he's got absolutely nothing to do with actual faith or any kind of theology😉
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

Christmas and Santa Claus aren't even in the same universe; Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus, whereas Santa Claus is just some character cooked up to drive consumer spending...
and honestly, once people stop trying to link every single little thing to Christmas, I doubt religious instructors are going to be out here ruining anyone's holiday vibes.
And speaking of "ruining someone's vibes"—what's that supposed to mean? Are we saying the police shouldn't step in when some unstable person starts attacking someone because it might ruin their "magic"?🤣

So, where is the actual issue there? Why should teachers and staff be bogged down every single year with unnecessary paperwork just because some parent finds it too much work to write a quick note to the school before the new semester starts, letting them know their kid won't be attending religion class anymore?🤣
Do you seriously think someone who signed their kid up for religion class just "because everyone else is doing it" is actually going to go out of their way to unenroll them?🤦

I'll just leave it here...

👏

urbangull90

Jessica Kelly4 said:Science is indifferent to God. It doesn't claim He exists, nor does it deny it. God is simply outside the scope of science, especially the natural sciences. Sure, scientists can believe or not—that’s a personal value judgment, not a scientific one.
If anyone's interested, check out this great recent interview with Dr. Mitrekeski where he discusses the relationship between faith and science:

On the flip side, religious education starts from the premise of believing in God. In those classes, the teacher isn't sharing a personal opinion, but rather the stance of the Catholic Church. It's an educational component conducted with explicit parental consent.

Science is just as indifferent toward God as it is toward Santa Claus. "Outside its domain." That’s a pretty fancy way of saying they find the idea... unhelpful. 🙂

Personally, I think the teachers' behavior totally justifies having Santa Clauses walking through shopping malls handing out gifts while making sure kids know God isn't real.

You want war? You've got it! 😉

Lawrence Torres56 said:I don't think parents even need to bother asking about the requirements; if a teacher is actually acting like this, they should just report them to the proper authorities. Look, there's a very clear line drawn between public school curriculum and church activities, both for the sake of the church and the government.

And as for pulling a kid out of a program? The rules are the same across the board—you can't just unenroll your kid in the middle of the year, whether it's a formal class or just some after-school club or extracurricular activity... you know how it is.

Parents ask questions about which teacher their child might have in first grade (which is mandatory), so why wouldn't they ask about the person teaching an elective subject?😕

I know quite a few kids who don't choose a second language in fourth grade, or rather, they don't want to deal with learning Spanish at school because the teacher grades like a "hardliner." There's a real risk of getting a C, which then drags down their GPA. They end up going to a local tutoring center or a specialized language academy instead. The only difference is that parents pay for it there. In their main school, they’d be in the afternoon session anyway, and some actually prefer the later timing because it gives them more productive time in between rather than just sitting around for 45 minutes waiting for class to start.

Then there's computer science, which everyone keeps pushing to make mandatory. Yet, in some schools, it’s only offered as an elective, and let's be honest, it isn't always the most exciting subject. I already know several families where the kids have opportunities to learn tech skills elsewhere, so they skip the school version. The first reason is usually the scheduling in the afternoon block, and the second is that it often turns into a grind for overachievers, carrying that risk of a lower grade affecting the overall average. If a family has a software engineer or someone tech-savvy at home, the kid is going to pick up all those basics at home anyway—likely even more than what's covered in a standard classroom.

Also, why is religious education tucked right into the regular school schedule? 🤔
Why isn't it held during the afternoon sessions? 🤔
How much does religious ed actually impact the GPA—does it help it or hurt it? 🙂
And shouldn't the content of school religious studies be something every parent is capable of teaching their own child? What is the actual purpose of having a dedicated instructor for this?🙂 🙂

It’s probably just for preparing students and organizing competitions centered around religious studies.🐔 🎉

Jesse Cook4 said:Science is just as indifferent toward God as it is toward Santa Claus. "Outside its domain." That’s a pretty fancy way of saying they find the idea... unhelpful. 🙂

Personally, I think the teachers' behavior totally justifies having Santa Clauses walking through shopping malls handing out gifts while making sure kids know God isn't real.

You want war? You've got it! 😉

It’s wild that someone actually participating in this debate could say something so mindless. You basically just spat on centuries of human thought regarding ontology and metaphysics. I'm not even going to bother arguing with you; believe whatever you want.

Susan James said:Parents ask questions about which teacher their child might have in first grade (which is mandatory), so why wouldn't they ask about the person teaching an elective subject?😕

I know quite a few kids who don't choose a second language in fourth grade, or rather, they don't want to deal with learning Spanish at school because the teacher grades like a "hardliner." There's a real risk of getting a C, which then drags down their GPA. They end up going to a local tutoring center or a specialized language academy instead. The only difference is that parents pay for it there. In their main school, they’d be in the afternoon session anyway, and some actually prefer the later timing because it gives them more productive time in between rather than just sitting around for 45 minutes waiting for class to start.

Then there's computer science, which everyone keeps pushing to make mandatory. Yet, in some schools, it’s only offered as an elective, and let's be honest, it isn't always the most exciting subject. I already know several families where the kids have opportunities to learn tech skills elsewhere, so they skip the school version. The first reason is usually the scheduling in the afternoon block, and the second is that it often turns into a grind for overachievers, carrying that risk of a lower grade affecting the overall average. If a family has a software engineer or someone tech-savvy at home, the kid is going to pick up all those basics at home anyway—likely even more than what's covered in a standard classroom.

Also, why is religious education tucked right into the regular school schedule? 🤔
Why isn't it held during the afternoon sessions? 🤔
How much does religious ed actually impact the GPA—does it help it or hurt it? 🙂
And shouldn't the content of school religious studies be something every parent is capable of teaching their own child? What is the actual purpose of having a dedicated instructor for this?🙂 🙂

It’s probably just for preparing students and organizing competitions centered around religious studies.🐔 🎉

Because that’s just how the social and political landscape works here in America. It’s staying that way for a while. If any future administration actually tries to change things, they'll have to renegotiate the agreement with Vatican City. Until then, having religion classes in schools is both legal and legitimate.

Susan James said:Parents ask questions about which teacher their child might have in first grade (which is mandatory), so why wouldn't they ask about the person teaching an elective subject?😕

I know quite a few kids who don't choose a second language in fourth grade, or rather, they don't want to deal with learning Spanish at school because the teacher grades like a "hardliner." There's a real risk of getting a C, which then drags down their GPA. They end up going to a local tutoring center or a specialized language academy instead. The only difference is that parents pay for it there. In their main school, they’d be in the afternoon session anyway, and some actually prefer the later timing because it gives them more productive time in between rather than just sitting around for 45 minutes waiting for class to start.

Then there's computer science, which everyone keeps pushing to make mandatory. Yet, in some schools, it’s only offered as an elective, and let's be honest, it isn't always the most exciting subject. I already know several families where the kids have opportunities to learn tech skills elsewhere, so they skip the school version. The first reason is usually the scheduling in the afternoon block, and the second is that it often turns into a grind for overachievers, carrying that risk of a lower grade affecting the overall average. If a family has a software engineer or someone tech-savvy at home, the kid is going to pick up all those basics at home anyway—likely even more than what's covered in a standard classroom.

Also, why is religious education tucked right into the regular school schedule? 🤔
Why isn't it held during the afternoon sessions? 🤔
How much does religious ed actually impact the GPA—does it help it or hurt it? 🙂
And shouldn't the content of school religious studies be something every parent is capable of teaching their own child? What is the actual purpose of having a dedicated instructor for this?🙂 🙂

It’s probably just for preparing students and organizing competitions centered around religious studies.🐔 🎉

Can parents not teach reading and writing? Or basic math? Elementary school is mandatory, and since every parent went through it, they should be capable of teaching those basics. Clearly, organized instruction and education still provide some kind of social value.

Jessica Kelly4 said:It’s wild that someone actually participating in this debate could say something so mindless. You basically just spat on centuries of human thought regarding ontology and metaphysics. I'm not even going to bother arguing with you; believe whatever you want.

Actually, quite the opposite... the end result of all those centuries of thinking is a loud, collective "ideas have no foundation."

Too bad a massive industry of snake oil salesmen cropped up in the meantime because they hate that reality. They probably should've just found real jobs, right?

Jessica Kelly4 said:Because that’s just how the social and political landscape works here in America. It’s staying that way for a while. If any future administration actually tries to change things, they'll have to renegotiate the agreement with Vatican City. Until then, having religion classes in schools is both legal and legitimate.

Can parents not teach reading and writing? Or basic math? Elementary school is mandatory, and since every parent went through it, they should be capable of teaching those basics. Clearly, organized instruction and education still provide some kind of social value.

I was actually wondering why religion class isn't scheduled during the second shift, just like the other elective subjects.
English and math are required, but religion isn't.
A parent is obligated to send their child to school, but they aren't forced to enroll them in religion class.
The real question is whether they would even bother sending them if it were in the second shift—especially if the grade affects their final GPA (or negatively impacts it).

Susan James said:I was actually wondering why religion class isn't scheduled during the second shift, just like the other elective subjects.
English and math are required, but religion isn't.
A parent is obligated to send their child to school, but they aren't forced to enroll them in religion class.
The real question is whether they would even bother sending them if it were in the second shift—especially if the grade affects their final GPA (or negatively impacts it).

The answer is simple: it's all due to the political and social forces that shaped our agreement with Vatican City.

Under that agreement, religion class is handled differently than any other elective. The school can't opt out of offering it, so they treat it as a mandatory part of their curriculum, even though it remains an elective for the students themselves.

Men
seem to suddenly realize how unfair it is when they try to force their views on everyone else. It’s funny how they’ll take advantage of the fact that most kids don't want religious studies, using the social pressure of being left out of group activities to shove their agenda down the throats of the minority. It's honestly pathetic.
I mean, if we're actually talking about elective subjects, they should be kept completely separate from the main schedule, but of course, that would be too simple.

Jesse Cook4 said:Men
seem to suddenly realize how unfair it is when they try to force their views on everyone else. It’s funny how they’ll take advantage of the fact that most kids don't want religious studies, using the social pressure of being left out of group activities to shove their agenda down the throats of the minority. It's honestly pathetic.
I mean, if we're actually talking about elective subjects, they should be kept completely separate from the main schedule, but of course, that would be too simple.

America is a parliamentary democracy. There are perfectly legal ways to push for the changes you're demanding.

Jessica Kelly4 said:America is a parliamentary democracy. There are perfectly legal ways to push for the changes you're demanding.

If they were even half as honest as the Republican Party was when they introduced their campaign promises about "tackling 21st century challenges" and "prioritizing education," those pledges would have actually turned into, you know, kicking religious studies out of public schools.

(And maybe sneaking in a mandatory physics lecture during Sunday mass. Just a thought.) 😉

Real enlightenment, right?

Jessica Kelly4 said:America is a parliamentary democracy. There are perfectly legal ways to push for the changes you're demanding.

The truth is, religious studies didn't get added through any official democratic process—it was just cheap political maneuvering.

I’ve been dwelling on religious education in schools for days now, mostly because of my daughter’s teacher. Honestly, I need to get this off my chest: I find the whole idea of religion being part of the school curriculum pretty repulsive. My husband and I are believers, though we aren't exactly practicing 😬, if you know what I mean. But that's beside the point. Once my daughter started school, she was automatically enrolled in this religious class which, despite being labeled an elective, isn't an elective at all. It's baked right into the daily schedule. Kids who don't take it just wander the halls for 45 minutes, and even that feels discriminatory to me. But let's move past that. If the teacher were a kind, pleasant person teaching spiritual values, I wouldn't care. Instead, this person is incredibly discriminatory, constantly belittling and mocking kids for being overweight, struggling academically, or even just for sneezing. My daughter doesn't fall into any of those categories, yet this class is the one thing she dreads most. She actually has nightmares 😲 because of the comments this teacher hurls at them during class. And it's not just her; I've heard from several kids in different grades, and I know how kids can exaggerate—though I usually tend to side with the teachers. Our godparents' kid has been doing so much better ever since a different religious instructor took over their class.
Truthfully, if we didn't have such a massive crowd of protesters, I probably wouldn't even think about challenging religion in schools. I guess that makes me a hypocrite, but this situation has really made me question why religion belongs in elementary education at all. Calling it an elective is a joke; it's not an elective no matter what they claim. Religion belongs in a church!
Anyway, I feel a bit better now 😬

Kate Brown49 said:I’ve been dwelling on religious education in schools for days now, mostly because of my daughter’s teacher. Honestly, I need to get this off my chest: I find the whole idea of religion being part of the school curriculum pretty repulsive. My husband and I are believers, though we aren't exactly practicing 😬, if you know what I mean. But that's beside the point. Once my daughter started school, she was automatically enrolled in this religious class which, despite being labeled an elective, isn't an elective at all. It's baked right into the daily schedule. Kids who don't take it just wander the halls for 45 minutes, and even that feels discriminatory to me. But let's move past that. If the teacher were a kind, pleasant person teaching spiritual values, I wouldn't care. Instead, this person is incredibly discriminatory, constantly belittling and mocking kids for being overweight, struggling academically, or even just for sneezing. My daughter doesn't fall into any of those categories, yet this class is the one thing she dreads most. She actually has nightmares 😲 because of the comments this teacher hurls at them during class. And it's not just her; I've heard from several kids in different grades, and I know how kids can exaggerate—though I usually tend to side with the teachers. Our godparents' kid has been doing so much better ever since a different religious instructor took over their class.
Truthfully, if we didn't have such a massive crowd of protesters, I probably wouldn't even think about challenging religion in schools. I guess that makes me a hypocrite, but this situation has really made me question why religion belongs in elementary education at all. Calling it an elective is a joke; it's not an elective no matter what they claim. Religion belongs in a church!
Anyway, I feel a bit better now 😬

The whole Catholic Church is basically built on fear and guilt. Honestly, that doesn't surprise me at all—it's just being authentic to who they are. 🤷

When I suggest doing some homework before picking an elective, I mean you should actually talk to the older kids. Ask them what the class is really like and what they actually do in there before you commit.
And honestly? Don't bother sending angry letters to the Department of Education, the Capitol, or even Jesus. An inspector will just show up, look at the paperwork, see everything is technically "by the book," and tell you everything is fine. You’ll never prove this kind of discrimination or dismissal through official channels.
The best way to handle it is to simply have the choice to opt out or withdraw.

At the end of the day, the core teachings of religion are things any religious parent can teach their own child at home. People teach their kids foreign languages and computer skills outside of school all the time; teaching them about God shouldn't be any different.

I agree, Jesse Cook4... My only takeaway is that if a kid wants to receive their sacraments (Communion and Confirmation), they basically have to take religious ed in school, plus church classes during the actual year they receive them. If I’m lucky and I’ve got this wrong, maybe I can just pull her out of the school program next year. 😬