Little Prince came home from school with a highly inappropriate gift today - a Bible! As a mixed non-Christian religion and Atheist family this just is totally inappropriate! I acknowledge that he goes to a Church of England school, but only because it is the only school that serves the village we live in, if we had a choice that would still allow him to be part of the childhood community of the village he wouldn't attend the church school. But there is no alternative for us, so he attends.
There has been a change of Head teacher in the last few years, and the new Head (and Deputy Head for that matter) push the Christian message much more heavily than the previous Head did. This can leave me (and many other) parents feeling excluded and undervalued at the school. Which is so different to how welcomed and included we felt with the previous Head Teacher who is also a Christian, but one who didn't seem to feel that it was his duty to convert all the pupils! When the Year 6s leave to go on to High School they are presented with a Bible, however, he arranged for Drama Teen to get a different book that had more meaning for her rather than push his religious views on her. Much more tolerant and accepting than the present school regime!
But now the children are sent home with this book, with no warning to parents! Mr Messy is adamant that the book should be returned (the school do know the religious make up of our family!). I am leaning more towards keeping the book but explaining it is a book of stories that some people, but not our family, believe in. However, Little Prince's teacher (the very Christian Deputy Head) has told the whole class what an important gift this book is, so playing down the significance of the "story book" probably won't wash with Little Prince.
I wish school had consulted the parents before sending the book home!
I wish the school acknowledged that not all the pupils/families are Christian!
I wish that Little Prince's teacher (who he idolises) had presented the book as one that SOME people believe is their God's word!
I wish I didn't have to deal with this complication!!!
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14 comments:
Hi
Don't get to wound and worried about it. Its not got lots of pictures in it so LP won't want to read it. Just put it on one side and ignore it. If you make a big thing about it LP will wonder whats up. I think you are right keep it and tell him its stories, because thats all it is. Only he can decide if he wants to take anything from it other than a story book.
Little Sis
I don't think you should pass it off as "just a story book", because that would be demeaning the whole of Christianity :P It's very important to some people, just not to others.
I agree with Auntie S, don't make a huge fuss over it. I'd say tell him that to some people like Teacher it's a very important book, but in this family we think that other books can be important too (such as the ones in our non-Christian-ness).
Pass the message that it's an important book, but not the ONLY important book. And tell him that if he wants to hear some of the stories out of it then that's ok. The language should put him off pretty quick :P And encourage him to hear the stories from the other religions too.
I know you want to teach us religious tolerance and by blowing the Bible off and making a huge fuss over it...that's not showing him much tolerance of it.
Yes I know that it's inappropriate, I'm pretty annoyed too, even my Christian BF gets why it's annoying and inappropriate, and that you tolerate a LOT from the school, I'm just saying that's how it'd seem to him.
Just my opinion :P
LMS
(Oops, that was a much longer comment than I meant it to be! I'm off my soapbox now - honest :P)
xxx
Having a quiet word with the teacher about it should be done, explaining why you feel it to be inappropriate, possibly asking when they will be handing out copies of the Koran, Torah, Buddhist scriptures and possibly given the current anniversary of his birth, a copy of On The Origin Of Species By Means Natural Selection by C Darwin
Baby Bro
That was Auntie J not me LMS!! But I completely agree with all of you, it must be a family thing.
Baby Sis
xxxx
Hi everyone,
I took the book back to the Headteacher and politely thanked them for the gesture and explained it wasn't appropriate for our family. Headteacher was very apologetic and understanding of why we were returning the book, and explained that the books shouldn't have even been sent home they were to stay in school for use there!
Thanks for all your views, I'm glad it wasn't just me that thought it wasn't the best gift for our family lol.
Love
Janet
xxx
PS LMS you'd better learn to get your Auntie's straight lol
Well since they're neither my Little Sis nor my Baby Sis how am I meant to figure out which is which? :P MY Little/Baby Sis is the same person :P
LMS
xxx
Hi LMS,
lol but not for much longer, so you'll have to get used to it!!
Lots of love
Mummy
xxxx
baby sis said "it must be a family thing"
Yup I think we're all pretty much heathens in this generation ;-)
Baby Bro
Hi Baby Bro,
Well perhaps if older highly religious generations hadn't been so intolerant we wouldn't be!
Love
Janet
xxx
LMS
I really don't mind you not knowing who is who with me and Auntie S. I got used to being mixed up a long time ago so many people called me your Mum. It really doesn't bother me, so don't worry.
Love
Auntie J
Is there not another school that he could attend other than the Church of England ,as a religious school it would promote the Bible.I know its in the village but there might be a non religious school further afield?
I'm a Catholic and liberal minded but as our boys go to a Catholic school I have to be honest and say that many non Catholics go to our school because its the best one and thus have to accept what is taught.I know in your situation that you haven't got a choice but if you feel so strongly you need to think about placing him in a non religious school.Though most schools in the UK are Christian but going to a school that is not Church of England or Catholic may be less inclined to sent Bibles home.
Oh gosh hope I don't sound preachy!! I think you know what I mean with best intentions!!!
Hugs!!
Hi Rosie,
Don't worry I knew what you meant :-)
There is no other school close enough for him to attend, and the only local one that isn't a CofE school is a huge, impersonal not very good school! It also took a lot of work to get him settled in this school, and I don't want to undo all that hard work by moving him. The school are extremely supportive of his extra needs and he is thriving there.
I have now returned the bible, and both the Head and Deputy Head apologised. The bibles were supposed to be kept in school for use in study, so all the other children have been asked to return theirs too!
Love
Janet
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