Religion classes in school - Megathread

Nicole James said:Religious studies isn't actually an elective; it’s more like a "mandatory requirement for those who choose it." It explicitly shouldn't be placed within the daily schedule in a different position than any other mandatory subject. That is how it is written in the agreements through which the USA transfers its sovereignty to the capital.

Just a small clarification here. Religious ed is technically an elective, but it carries a special status—exactly the way you just described it.

The unique part is that it HAS to be held during regular school hours.

It actually goes so far that Bozanic has pushed back against principals trying to schedule it whenever they can fit it in. Ideally, if there were only a few kids opting out, you could just put the class in the middle of the day for groups where everyone attends, or stick them at the very beginning or end of the day for classes with more non-religious students.

But it really means the religious ed schedule ends up dictating the entire school timetable. They try to have it both ways—keeping the religious students happy while ensuring the non-religious kids don't end up with massive gaps in their day.

In reality, the goal of Cathedral Hill and the Vatican is quite the opposite: they want to create a schedule so fragmented that hesitant parents feel pressured to enroll their kids just to avoid the logistical headache.

If the parents who aren't religious—and let's be honest, the number of believers is nowhere near that 90% figure people claim—didn't feel forced to sign them up, this whole issue would disappear overnight.

But we aren't dealing with a newcomer; the Vatican has been practicing this kind of shrewd diplomacy for a long time.

Things are starting to shift slightly because now almost every single classroom has a few kids who aren't attending, and that’s becoming a massive administrative nightmare. To be clear: nobody is officially responsible for supervising these kids. And the more of them there are, the harder it becomes to manage. Legally, the school is responsible, but that’s incredibly vague. A principal simply CANNOT and is NOT ALLOWED to assign a teacher to act as a babysitter for the non-religious students.

The old workaround of sending them to the library is becoming impossible because librarians are being treated like daycare workers, and they have their own curricula to run; they can't just sit there watching kids all day.

Once Cathedral Hill is forced to actually hire and pay for staff to watch these kids, they might finally drop their demand that religious ed stays within regular school hours.

Otherwise, the government will have to foot the bill for those employees. Librarians can't handle it anymore, and it’s not in their job description. It’s a constant game of hot potato, passing the responsibility from elementary teachers to librarians and back again. Often, the older kids who don't attend are left totally unsupervised in the library if the librarian is busy running a workshop or helping someone else.

Keith Miller30 said:Actually, I think it should just be treated like any other subject and scheduled for first, second, or third period. But honestly, it doesn't really matter; I have no desire to get into a heated debate over this, especially since nobody seems to care what anyone thinks—religious studies will remain part of the school curriculum regardless.

I was simply noting that what was mentioned above strikes me as somewhat psychologically unsound, and I say that with complete sincerity and absolutely no intention of being offensive.

Doesn't it seem a little unhinged, though? Or at least totally messed up? Like, teaching kids that women were made from a man's rib? Don't even get me started on the rest of that stuff...

Richard Perez3 said:And here we go again with the same old routine.
Yesterday, they dragged everyone into religion class under the guise of being "guests" just to watch some cartoon about us.
The propaganda machine is clearly working overtime, setting the bait for next year.

To be honest, I don't see any issue with the fact that they were only invited. 🕺 I’m not exactly a fan of religious education in public schools, but I don't see much difference between inviting a kid to sit in on a religion class just to watch a cartoon versus a German teacher asking a student who isn't enrolled to drop by for a session where they're watching a documentary. That’s one thing. But trying to bait them into signing up for next year? That’s a whole different story.

If he was invited politely and nobody forced him to show up at that specific time, he could have just given a polite refusal. I get it—to a little kid, watching cartoons sounds way more appealing than hanging out in a library, but I wouldn't make a huge deal out of this. Nothing illegal happened here. You just need to explain to your child why they aren't attending religious studies and then ask the teacher who invited them to stop sending those invites. It only becomes an issue if she keeps pushing after you've explicitly asked her to stop.

lonemaker said:To be honest, I don't see any issue with the fact that they were only invited. 🕺 I’m not exactly a fan of religious education in public schools, but I don't see much difference between inviting a kid to sit in on a religion class just to watch a cartoon versus a German teacher asking a student who isn't enrolled to drop by for a session where they're watching a documentary. That’s one thing. But trying to bait them into signing up for next year? That’s a whole different story.

If he was invited politely and nobody forced him to show up at that specific time, he could have just given a polite refusal. I get it—to a little kid, watching cartoons sounds way more appealing than hanging out in a library, but I wouldn't make a huge deal out of this. Nothing illegal happened here. You just need to explain to your child why they aren't attending religious studies and then ask the teacher who invited them to stop sending those invites. It only becomes an issue if she keeps pushing after you've explicitly asked her to stop.

Well, it's pretty hard to watch a German documentary that claims everyone who doesn't speak German is headed straight to hell... When it comes to Catholic religious ed, there's a huge chance that's exactly what happens.

And speaking of German classes, does anyone have experience suggesting to the school or the principal that they organize something else for the kids who skip religious ed? Like, maybe an extra Spanish class or something?

Personally, I'd be willing to pay for that hour or two out of my own pocket. To me, that seems like a much better investment than having kids stuck in the hallway or wandering around the school grounds with the other students who aren't in class.

People have already brought this up before. They claim you can't organize anything else during religious education hours because then the kids in those classes would be discriminated against... or some nonsense like that. ☕

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Personally, I don't think religious studies belongs in the standard school curriculum. But honestly, the sheer amount of prejudice and paranoia surrounding this topic just leaves me speechless.

Think about it: what would you actually do if your kid started watching a cartoon about None on TV? Would you yell, "No! Stop!" and frantically cover their eyes to shield them from some supposed biblical horror story? I'm being dead serious here—I’m not trying to be edgy or stir the pot. I had this one friend who grew up in a strictly atheist household, and she had that exact same reaction to anything even remotely religious. We were traveling together through Paris during college, and when we walked up to Notre-Dame, she actually refused to go inside because she "didn't want to step into a church"!😲

Look, no matter how intolerant or closed-minded someone might be, Christian mythology is essentially the bedrock of our culture. How can you expect a child to truly grasp literature or art history if you strip away that foundation with your own biases?

Throughout my life, I’ve made it a point to visit all sorts of churches, temples, and mosques 😁 and, out of genuine curiosity and respect, I’ve picked up a decent understanding of various faiths. I really want my kids to grow up with that same kind of open-mindedness.

Brenda Doyle5 said:People have already brought this up before. They claim you can't organize anything else during religious education hours because then the kids in those classes would be discriminated against... or some nonsense like that. ☕

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How exactly would they be discriminated against? It’s not like they're being treated unfairly compared to the kids who are just hanging out in the library drawing or playing outside in the fresh air during that time, right?

Kids who basically have a free period—working together with the school—should have the chance to make that time even more productive and meaningful. I honestly don't see any discrimination in that at all.

hiddendriver34 said:Personally, I don't think religious studies belongs in the standard school curriculum. But honestly, the sheer amount of prejudice and paranoia surrounding this topic just leaves me speechless.

Think about it: what would you actually do if your kid started watching a cartoon about None on TV? Would you yell, "No! Stop!" and frantically cover their eyes to shield them from some supposed biblical horror story? I'm being dead serious here—I’m not trying to be edgy or stir the pot. I had this one friend who grew up in a strictly atheist household, and she had that exact same reaction to anything even remotely religious. We were traveling together through Paris during college, and when we walked up to Notre-Dame, she actually refused to go inside because she "didn't want to step into a church"!😲

Look, no matter how intolerant or closed-minded someone might be, Christian mythology is essentially the bedrock of our culture. How can you expect a child to truly grasp literature or art history if you strip away that foundation with your own biases?

Throughout my life, I’ve made it a point to visit all sorts of churches, temples, and mosques 😁 and, out of genuine curiosity and respect, I’ve picked up a decent understanding of various faiths. I really want my kids to grow up with that same kind of open-mindedness.

When my kids at home watch cartoons with biblical themes, they treat them exactly like they treat munjevit Jurić, Ice Kingdom, or any other fairy tale... Basically, they know it's just a story..

In school, 2+2=4 isn't a fairy tale. Similarly, in Catholic religion classes, they aren't taught that these stories are myths or fables—they're taught they are literal historical facts. And if you don't believe it, you're going to burn in hell!? It's wild. Even though schools teach Greek and Roman mythology, there's always an emphasis that those are just myths and legends... unlike, say, Noah, who supposedly reflooded the entire flat Earth with just a couple of animals..

If schools actually taught about all the world's religions and beliefs—focusing on the good as well as the very bad that faiths have done throughout human history—then maybe we could actually consider letting kids take a class like that..

lonemaker said:To be honest, I don't see any issue with the fact that they were only invited. 🕺 I’m not exactly a fan of religious education in public schools, but I don't see much difference between inviting a kid to sit in on a religion class just to watch a cartoon versus a German teacher asking a student who isn't enrolled to drop by for a session where they're watching a documentary. That’s one thing. But trying to bait them into signing up for next year? That’s a whole different story.

If he was invited politely and nobody forced him to show up at that specific time, he could have just given a polite refusal. I get it—to a little kid, watching cartoons sounds way more appealing than hanging out in a library, but I wouldn't make a huge deal out of this. Nothing illegal happened here. You just need to explain to your child why they aren't attending religious studies and then ask the teacher who invited them to stop sending those invites. It only becomes an issue if she keeps pushing after you've explicitly asked her to stop.

I officially opted my kid out of the religious studies classes.
Then, behind my back and without asking me, she goes and has this whole "serious talk" with him.
After that, she starts shoving religious quizzes and songs in his face.
So, I went to the teacher and made it crystal clear: stop doing this. I can't stand it, and I'm telling you right now, don't take this approach with my kid.
And then, this happens.

Now, you tell me—does that sound problematic to you?
Because from where I'm sitting, it definitely does.

Actually, 🙂 I thought the issue was just about scheduling the meeting. Honestly, I would have kicked up a fuss during that "serious discussion" phase itself.

Patrick Harris5 said:When my kids at home watch cartoons with biblical themes, they treat them exactly like they treat munjevit Jurić, Ice Kingdom, or any other fairy tale... Basically, they know it's just a story..

In school, 2+2=4 isn't a fairy tale. Similarly, in Catholic religion classes, they aren't taught that these stories are myths or fables—they're taught they are literal historical facts. And if you don't believe it, you're going to burn in hell!? It's wild. Even though schools teach Greek and Roman mythology, there's always an emphasis that those are just myths and legends... unlike, say, Noah, who supposedly reflooded the entire flat Earth with just a couple of animals..

If schools actually taught about all the world's religions and beliefs—focusing on the good as well as the very bad that faiths have done throughout human history—then maybe we could actually consider letting kids take a class like that..

You're totally overstating it,
kids in that school are going to learn about plenty of stuff that happened in history that's way more intense than this, so how are you even going to explain all that to your kid?
In third grade, if you live in a place like Chicago, the kid is going to go on field trips and hear all about peasant revolts, historical uprisings, and whatnot... isn't that much darker and heavier than some cartoon about Noah?

Richard Perez3 said:I officially opted my kid out of the religious studies classes.
Then, behind my back and without asking me, she goes and has this whole "serious talk" with him.
After that, she starts shoving religious quizzes and songs in his face.
So, I went to the teacher and made it crystal clear: stop doing this. I can't stand it, and I'm telling you right now, don't take this approach with my kid.
And then, this happens.

Now, you tell me—does that sound problematic to you?
Because from where I'm sitting, it definitely does.

Why don't you just go straight to the principal if this keeps happening despite you saying "no" multiple times?
I totally get why you're seeing red, but posting about it here isn't going to solve anything—which you already know—so I don't quite get why you aren't just heading down to the school and putting an end to this if it's bothering you this much?

hiddendriver34 said:Personally, I don't think religious studies belongs in the standard school curriculum. But honestly, the sheer amount of prejudice and paranoia surrounding this topic just leaves me speechless.

Think about it: what would you actually do if your kid started watching a cartoon about None on TV? Would you yell, "No! Stop!" and frantically cover their eyes to shield them from some supposed biblical horror story? I'm being dead serious here—I’m not trying to be edgy or stir the pot. I had this one friend who grew up in a strictly atheist household, and she had that exact same reaction to anything even remotely religious. We were traveling together through Paris during college, and when we walked up to Notre-Dame, she actually refused to go inside because she "didn't want to step into a church"!😲

Look, no matter how intolerant or closed-minded someone might be, Christian mythology is essentially the bedrock of our culture. How can you expect a child to truly grasp literature or art history if you strip away that foundation with your own biases?

Throughout my life, I’ve made it a point to visit all sorts of churches, temples, and mosques 😁 and, out of genuine curiosity and respect, I’ve picked up a decent understanding of various faiths. I really want my kids to grow up with that same kind of open-mindedness.

There is a fundamental distinction between presenting a myth to a small child and having an adult authority figure insist that it is objective truth. Furthermore, there is a massive difference between a child stumbling upon a cartoon on television and actively recruiting that same child for religious education against a parent's explicit wishes.

Refusing to enter Notre Dame Cathedral because you find churches distasteful is one thing—though being entirely ignorant of Christian mythology is certainly awkward given our cultural landscape here in America. However, none of that is relevant to the core issue: a parent standing their ground against a teacher who is relentlessly attempting to save their child's soul. 😁

I don't really care.
Nah, I wouldn't go to the principal about it because...
Because honestly, that feels like a total last resort.
Plus, the school year is basically over anyway.
And look, I’m trying to avoid getting my ass kicked if I can help it.
Besides, I could use the break from this forum too. 😁

Lawrence Torres56 said:You're totally overstating it,
kids in that school are going to learn about plenty of stuff that happened in history that's way more intense than this, so how are you even going to explain all that to your kid?
In third grade, if you live in a place like Chicago, the kid is going to go on field trips and hear all about peasant revolts, historical uprisings, and whatnot... isn't that much darker and heavier than some cartoon about Noah?

Why don't you just go straight to the principal if this keeps happening despite you saying "no" multiple times?
I totally get why you're seeing red, but posting about it here isn't going to solve anything—which you already know—so I don't quite get why you aren't just heading down to the school and putting an end to this if it's bothering you this much?

I think you're missing the point entirely. Religious education classes aren't designed to teach history, nor are biblical stories presented as literal myths.

It is fundamentally a parent's right to refuse to let their child be told in school that Noah was a flesh-and-blood historical figure. Though, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to show a child—following their cartoons—the sheer chaos and cruelty of a deity who commits genocide via a flood, or to bring up figures like Hitler and a half pot. ☕

Richard Perez3 said:I don't really care.
Nah, I wouldn't go to the principal about it because...
Because honestly, that feels like a total last resort.
Plus, the school year is basically over anyway.
And look, I’m trying to avoid getting my ass kicked if I can help it.
Besides, I could use the break from this forum too. 😁

Alright, so you haven't totally lost your mind yet, then.😁🎉

I don't have kids in school, but reading through this makes me realize just how much things have changed.

Look, I took religion classes and even attended a traditional prep school. But in none of those textbooks or catechisms did it ever say that hitting a woman was acceptable, nor did they claim sinners would burn in hell. Now I see certain photos circulating in the media and I’m genuinely confused. :|

Back in elementary and high school, we studied other faiths—Judaism, Buddhism, Atheism, Hinduism, Islam. We covered everything: what they believe, who they pray to, their holidays, all that. Not a single instructor ever told us those religions were "evil" or anything like that. :|

Linda Price5 said:I think you're missing the point entirely. Religious education classes aren't designed to teach history, nor are biblical stories presented as literal myths.

It is fundamentally a parent's right to refuse to let their child be told in school that Noah was a flesh-and-blood historical figure. Though, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to show a child—following their cartoons—the sheer chaos and cruelty of a deity who commits genocide via a flood, or to bring up figures like Hitler and a half pot. ☕

Oh, sure, because scaring a little kid like that isn't traumatizing at all, right?😁
It's clearly much better to terrify a child with stories about Hitler than to just say, "Hey, some people believe in God and all that stuff, but we don't."
And why not just smother them with your own senseless hatred from day one instead of calmly explaining that these beliefs have nothing to do with them?

And hey, don't worry, I get more of this than you think,
I get that people are rightfully pissed off when something is shoved down their kid's throat against their will, and I get that they lose it in the moment, but I just don't get these posts about an evil god coming from people who claim they don't even believe in God; I don't get these "parental protection" attempts when a movie is shown at school, but certainly not when it's happening at home.😉

Btw, are you actually aware that by acting like this, you're basically insulting people you don't even know, encouraging your own child to hate, and probably spitting on your own ancestors in the process?

I honestly don't get it, Richard Perez3, why are you putting up with this.

Watching cartoons and visiting museums is one thing, but you’re listing off things that are totally unacceptable here. You're still letting your kid get put into awkward positions just because you're hesitating.

On top of that, you're just feeding your own resentment toward some idiot who needs to be told—very clearly and very firmly—that if they keep trying to have these "serious talks" with your child, the next step is the principal and then the Department of Education. You have a constitutional right to your child's free upbringing.

And then you just stay quiet again. For God's sake.

Ugh, give me a break. Why are you getting all worked up over me? 😁
🤣
Honestly, both of those things are dealbreakers for me. The visit, the cartoon, the "serious talk," and then throwing religious materials at me?
Why am I putting up with this? Let’s just say I’m a polite, tolerant person who prefers to think things were just misunderstood or poorly timed before jumping to conclusions. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.
That’s exactly how it went down at first with that conversation and the religious stuff, so I spoke up.
And then everything went quiet.
Then suddenly there’s this visit involving a cartoon.
Now I’m sitting here wondering if I’m actually losing my mind or what.
Look, obviously I’m not going to go nuclear and start threatening to call the Department of Education immediately—I can't just be a total wreck. 😁

Linda Price5 said:There is a fundamental distinction between presenting a myth to a small child and having an adult authority figure insist that it is objective truth. Furthermore, there is a massive difference between a child stumbling upon a cartoon on television and actively recruiting that same child for religious education against a parent's explicit wishes.

Refusing to enter Notre Dame Cathedral because you find churches distasteful is one thing—though being entirely ignorant of Christian mythology is certainly awkward given our cultural landscape here in America. However, none of that is relevant to the core issue: a parent standing their ground against a teacher who is relentlessly attempting to save their child's soul. 😁

Look, nobody ever said the cartoon came with a side of lectures or that watching it involved any kind of verbal indoctrination.🤷 From what I gathered, the issue was the cartoon itself.

I mean, I wasn't exactly well-versed in the whole "saving souls" theology.