Religion in schools

I wouldn't send my child to a religious school because I don't think religion should be in schools. Now as far as educationally purposes then that's okay - like a class on world religions or something. But not as a part of rituals and things. Now I don't have a problem with clubs or what not of religions either though. I think each individual including children should find their own path when it comes to their religious beliefs.

I think, as for public schools, religion needs not to be allowed. When that door is opened, it seldom includes all religions, which it should. In fact there are so many different religions this day and time, I really don't think one could include an sufficient study on all of them in a school year. Then there are the children who have no belief, being subjected to this, which is not right. Someone once suggested make a course on religion as an extra curriculum the students could choose to join. That sounds fine, however again you are faced with the fact there are so many different religions out there, which ones would be picked to study and who would be the teacher? You can’t just grab a Bible or the Koran teach from it. It takes extensive knowledge of the subject in order to be an effective teacher. In my opinion, religion is something best left up to the parents to supply the study of and not to the state. Public schools already have their plates full trying to meet the Government’s curriculum guidelines now, with the little funding they receive. Adding religion into the mix, to include ALL religions, is really impossible.

Thanks for sharing that link! I'm bookmarking it so I can read part two of the discussion and check out the rest of the site since it looks quite interesting... As for religion in schools..well I think the ONLY fair way to have religion in school would be if the school catered to all religions which really wouldnt be possible seeign how there are so many different faiths out there.....Now I do however agree with what someone else had mentioned in another thread here at MyLot - having a few moments in the morning/start of the school day (lets say before morning announcements for example) for students to pray, meditate etc etc quietly to themselves...I think that is a great idea.....

I suppose its ok if the public school gives an overall impression of what religion is as there are many different denominations etc out there and that they are not focussed just on one particular religion. Maybe they should offer it as an elective and then the kids can choose to take it up or not and not forced to if they don't want to. Even though I have mixed feelings at the moment as my husbands family is Seventh Day Adventist and my family is Presbyterian (I did convert to SDA but have fallen away for a number of years now), I would tend to go towards sending my son to a public school and for him to make up his own mind. I still think though that religion should be taught by the church and through their sabbath or sunday schools and if parents want to send their kids to christian schools, then its up to them, if they don't then thats ok too.

It will be fine if they have religious classes in school. Religious classes instil moral values to the young minds and teach them to be god fearing . It lift the burden on parents to curb social ills. I would say early foundation in religion can bring children to see the bad and good of growing up years.

Hi lillake! I went from a religious school here in my country it is run m=by the augustinian sisters, however its kind of an expensive school but I'm proud and I'm thankful that my parents sent us to a religious school even we are not well off. Their reasons are we are girls we must act like a lady and we must be feminine and with breeding. First and foremost we were taught to be a good individual, we have subjects on religion that way we were also taught about the teatchings of God and be a good human being. We attend the mass every friday and pray the rosary which i can recite myself every after lunch time. For me those teachings help me a lot as an individual because our faith were strengthen and that we fear God, we are less to commit sins and mistake to our fellow men because of values taught to us, respect and with good morals are also taught. So if time will come that I'll become a parent i try my hard to send my children in a religious schools.

i really don't mind religion in schools as long as its a part of the school. like a christian or catholic or whatever school. if it was specialized with that religion in mind...find. they can do what they want. but in public schools i have a problem mostly because they can't be bias to only 1 or 2 religions. i know its politically correct but i believe that. when going to school i had many friends of different religions. it would be unfair to them if they were forced to learn about christianity that didn't have to do with Hisotry or Litriture (which is the only time in school where it is acceptable and mostly in HS) will i send my child to a religious school? probably not since their father and i are 2 different religions but are not practicing them. we also feel that its up to them to decide. in religious schools its forces upon them and basiclly blinds them to believe that this is the religion you're supposed to be. i was baptised and raised a catholic and started to question my own religion at an early age because of my views and thought about whats right and whats wrong, whats good and acceptable started to clash with the catholic church but yet i was forced by my parents (mother mostly, since my father hardly attended church) to keep practicing that faith and then was told that as soon as i was 18 i could change religions if i disagreed too much. me, i found too much hypocricy in the chruch and didn't get it. i would never want my children to experiance something like that but i just want them to have an understanding in a high power.

i do not believe in this rubbish...school are for teaching the children humanity neither the religion

i wouldnt mind sending my child to a religious scholl as long as the school isnt trying to turn ky kid into a religious fanatic.i studied in a religious school and it was really awesome.they taught more of human values and how a person needs to be in life and all that.it was really nice.they took only the good aspects unlike some schools where all they can think of is religion and they put it into the heads of the children making them fanatics.that should not be the case.it should be the other way round.

If it's a regular public school than no, religion should not be taught there. Students come from all different backgrounds and religions. Is it really fair for public schools to point out what religion someone is when these kids may not want it known, knowing it may cause problems for themselves among their peers if they come from a different religion? Don't these students have enough to worry about with regular curriculum without adding religion to it? Can't these students just learn religion in church and through their parents/family? And if there was religion at public schools whose to stop a teacher, faculty member, or peer from trying to persuade a student into their religion? Now if the parents send their kids to a school that teaches religion, then that's their choice. But in my opinion it should be kept out of public schools.

When I was in public school, a moment of silence was still part of the morning routine. Something like that I have no problem with, a kid can pray, meditate or go over their assignments in their head. Of course in a private, religious based school, religion should be part of the education; that's what those parts want for their children. If our schools weren't so hurting for funds, perhaps it'd be appropriate to offer religious studies as electives in the high school years. But only as a choice, not a mandatory class. Since our schools here can barely afford the basics though, I wouldn't want to see money funneled from real subjects in order to provide religious subjects. Otherwise, religion has no place in public schools.

I think religion is a private matter and shouldn't be preached in schools. It is vital that children learn the mechanisms of religion though, and therefore they should be taught to look at this phenomenon from a more scientific perspective. They should be taught to ask questions rather than to blindly believe authorities, religious or otherwise.

Teaching religion in school in good for the children under ages....say in primary school... we live in an independent country,,, n having full rights to do whatever want to... evry religion is having equal rights in indian constitutes...n all ppl have to follow this rulews.... children at under ages...are very innocent and they dont know what is right and wrong....and to tell them is not bad..... and by doin this if any one want to teach them religion is also a good step...and i am ready to sens my kids to a religious school....for theri perfrect growth in all aspect....

i had a bad experience when religion is the topic in our school. while i was in college. i used argue bout my faith with my fellow classmates but it doesn't help me to witness with them but the effect is the feelings of each other are getting far apart. our friendship as friend ends with that topic. if i have my children that enrolled in religious schools i will not teach them to argue with their fellow classmates i will state to them the effect and consequences of arguing Gods word...i will teach to become more politely in answering if someone is asking for answers regarding their faith...

I don't think religion belongs in public schools. I like the idea someone mentioned about a comparative religions class as an elective in high school so that kids can learn about different religions. They actually offered that as a class at my school, but I went to a Catholic school. Also religion, in the context of history and literature is fine because it did shape history but it should be about what what the religion teaches (as in teaching Christianity) only in how it influenced people past and present (if that makes sense). I wouldn't send my kids to a religious school for 2 reasons--one it is way too expensive and we have 4 kids to get through school and 2--I don't believe in organized religion. I, myself, went to Catholic school for 13 years. I loved it. I got a lot out of it. But I didn't go for the religious side of it. My parents sent me because it offered a better, more rounded education then the public schools in our district that were understaffed, underfunded and overcrowded. I even opted to stay in the Catholic school system for high school and went to an all girl school. It is the largest all girl Catholic school in the US (located in Chicago) and taught me a lot. It is a liberal school and taught us to think for ourselves (hence why it offered the comparative religions course). It taught me to be a strong woman and be who I wanted--whether that was a butch lesbian or the most feminine June Cleaver type Mom--it didn't matter as long as we were true to ourselves. It was and is an awesome school. It is the one religious institution that I have no problem supporting financially and really love when I can donate money to them (which isn't often anymore). As for school sponsored events with religious undertones--don't like them. Religion alienates people. Not everyone is Christian and when we, in America, talk about religious stuff it is almost alway Christian in nature. We in America have the freedom to choose any religion or none at all so none should be put above the rest. If a school, say, wanted to pray before a sporting event then they would have to say a prayer for every kind of religion represented and then the people with no religion (like myself--I'm agnostic) would be put off having to listen to it. I am actually a bit irked to find out my 6yo is learning songs that, to me, are hymnals in her public school music class. I have let it go because technically I guess they can be seen as secular songs too. It's just that most often they are sung in churches and it bothers me that they are teaching them that stuff.

For me it would depend very much on the school. Schools all approach things very differently. Some are dogmatic and some are accepting of the students and parents and their individual belief systems.