I noticed today that the subject of religion in UK schools has hit the news again, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) as suggested that religious figures could visit schools and that schools could have prayer rooms.
From the Times:
“Imams, rabbis, priests and preachers from other faiths could be invited into state schools to provide religious instruction to pupils who want it, under controversial reforms to faith education.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is also recommending that schools provide “private prayer space” for pupils of all faiths, recognise the holy days of world religions, allow school uniforms and food to reflect “religious requirements” and turn the daily act of a worship in schools into “inclusive school assemblies”.”
I have to say I don’t agree, my own view is that the trappings of religion have no place whatsoever in state schools. The education and environment in state schools should be entirely secular and practical in nature, in addition I feel that if children are to be taught about their religion then it should be put in context with other faiths and religious themes should be taught from a wholly neutral standpoint.
Or maybe the real reason that UK religious leaders have been pushing this line with the NUT is that when you do teach religions side by side, objectively, the result might be secularism or a person finding (as I have) that an individual, personalised, approach is more satisfying that precooked dogma.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Wow, I was quite surprised by your response there Richard. I certainly look upon the idea as a good one, but like anything it depends how it ends up in practice. Expose people to all sorts of religions and spirituality directly, remind children that spirit is key to a balanced life. I remember my Religious Studies at school, reading from a textbook, it seemed interesting because it was strange and different to anything I’d been exposed to before, but without a living person to engage with it was difficult to say whether it was real or worthy of further study. I’d like to see it in practice - speak to and hear from people who make it a way of life, and then I could have made up my mind from there.
I would think perhaps that teaching all would indeed result in objectivity and acceptance. I would hope that a meeting of hearts would take place, seeing the common thread. But, I suppose we can only wait and see. It may be that there is no room for true tolerance if matters of religion still have threads of control within them.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I can see your point Lewis and had I not seen first hand the effects of bullying at school and if I didn’t know what kids can be like, I’d say great. But this involves prayer rooms and religious dress, I really do fear the consequences bullying-wise if we set these children up to be a target.
I do have a deep belief that state schools should be secular and objective, teach everything objectively, don’t allow someone a position that could be used as a platform to preach.
I can see the high motivation they have my friend, but I fear the implementation will fall very very short and have awful unforseen consequences.