I'm curious, in a non snarky way, just curious, if religious parents would be comfortable sending their kids to a school that taught there was no god or gods and incorporated this way of thinking into the classroom?
(I swear this is not loaded; for the record, I would not be comfortable with this either).
Post by Dumbledork on Aug 29, 2014 17:26:18 GMT -5
DD went to the YMCA for preschool and they swore the religion was hardly involved at all. It was absent from work, but they asked a few different times what church we attended, if we were teaching DD the Lord's prayer, etc. Still, it was awkward more than anything.
The thing that did bother me, and I know this isn't true for all religious organizations or individuals but it certainly was here with these teachers, was that they tended to push certain gender roles and stereotypes very heavily.
It took us ages to convince DD that, yes, it is okay for boys to cry. She'd heard the teachers tell little boys to stop being a wuss, stop crying, stop acting like a girl. She had picked out some clothes that she loved wearing until her teachers teased her for looking like a boy. Things like that. If anything would hesitate me to put her back in a religious school setting, it's that.
I've run the gamut of being a fairly devout Catholic to being mostly just culturally Catholic and back and forth over the years. I would send my kids to Catholic schools even in my fits of not being sure of what I believe. Pretty much all I've come into contact with handle Jesus and God in a way I'm comfortable with (of course I am biased). But I also know that the Catholic schools I am familiar with handle non-Catholics well and respectfully IMO, which also makes me more comfortable.
Post by EllieArroway on Aug 29, 2014 18:25:04 GMT -5
DS attends a Catholic preschool. Other than chapel once a week the curriculum is pretty secular. Even "chapel" (which is like 15 minutes per week) is only vaguely religious. He thinks that God is a superhero like Spiderman.
I'm curious, in a non snarky way, just curious, if religious parents would be comfortable sending their kids to a school that taught there was no god or gods and incorporated this way of thinking into the classroom?
(I swear this is not loaded; for the record, I would not be comfortable with this either).
I'm a lifelong atheist and I would not be comfortable with this. I don't think spiritualism or atheism should be taught in school at all. (I mean, not one "right" one. I do think the existence of religions should be covered but there shouldn't be one belief system taught as the truth.)
Post by littlemermaid on Aug 29, 2014 19:10:32 GMT -5
My son went to a Lutheran preschool because the elementary we planned on sending him didn't have a preschool. She's definitely going to be coming home with a lot of questions and stories about God and the Bible stories. Yes religion is part of the day. They most likely pray at some point during the day. The holiday projects are geared toward the religious meaning of that particular holiday i.e. Jesus was born on Christmas Day..etc. So why confuse your child if religion is not going to be a part of your lifestyle. If I were you I would send your child to a non-religious preschool.
We're Episcopalian without options under 10K a year in our denomination so we've had to look elsewhere. I don't want to deal with reprogramming him for Sunday school which meant many of our closest schools were not even considered. We've chosen to go with a Methodist school because I'm comfortable with how they teach and they go easy on the religion in the classroom. I'm especially happy that his school recognizes that many of their students are not from Christian homes and they purposely keep things neutral and positive to make those families feel comfortable with their program.
Post by peachdragon on Aug 29, 2014 19:26:56 GMT -5
Newp. But it bothered me and raised my blood pressure today when my mom answered a question from my 3 year old about fish with, "because god made them that way."
Well I'm more agnostic than atheist but I would if it were otherwise the best option. I take my daughter to church and read her the bible when she asks (she's 5). I just tell her my beliefs differ from that and she knows that not all people believe the same things.
My dad, who is religious, always says that the best way to make your children turn against religion is to send them through a religious school. He is looking at me, my brother, and our school friends.
DD went to the YMCA for preschool and they swore the religion was hardly involved at all. It was absent from work, but they asked a few different times what church we attended, if we were teaching DD the Lord's prayer, etc. Still, it was awkward more than anything.
The thing that did bother me, and I know this isn't true for all religious organizations or individuals but it certainly was here with these teachers, was that they tended to push certain gender roles and stereotypes very heavily.
It took us ages to convince DD that, yes, it is okay for boys to cry. She'd heard the teachers tell little boys to stop being a wuss, stop crying, stop acting like a girl. She had picked out some clothes that she loved wearing until her teachers teased her for looking like a boy. Things like that. If anything would hesitate me to put her back in a religious school setting, it's that.
My DD went to a YMCA daycare and there was zero religious aspect to it whatsoever.
So I guess my answer to OP is... I guess I did, but not really.
I have sent my kids to religious daycares and I'm atheist. We are switching daycares after 6 years because they changed directors and I feel that it's becoming more religious. However, before the change, they learned to say grace at snack and meal time and the 3 and 4yo classes went to chapel once a week. I believe that basic bible stories are a good thing - they have good morals and really they are everywhere in literature, so I'm fine with them hearing them. However, this last year there were more religious stories and songs in class (not just in chapel) and it's more than I wanted.
The one we've left in Episcopal and the one we're moving to is Methodist. We did tour a Baptist daycare years ago and DH and I were almost traumatized by the event - that's where we learned that there is a "pledge to the Christian flag" and a "pledge to the bible". It was just way too much religion, and way too different from any religion that we were familiar with for us to be comfortable.
Post by sparrowsong on Aug 29, 2014 21:38:21 GMT -5
I went to a preschool held in a Lutheran church because it was walking distance from our street and pretty much all of us neighborhood kids went there. I remember nothing religious about it. I was 4-5... but all i remember is crafts, snacks of crackers and carrot sticks, being "tested" on body-motor skills like skipping and throwing a ball, story time, nap time, recess outside, and the Halloween parade in costumes. If there was any Jesus stuff, I must have already been rejecting it, heathen that I've turned out to be, because I have absolutely no recollection.
I'm willing to bet it can vary widely based on region, and the specific teachers.
DS attends a Catholic preschool. Other than chapel once a week the curriculum is pretty secular. Even "chapel" (which is like 15 minutes per week) is only vaguely religious. He thinks that God is a superhero like Spiderman.