Well...

[averygoodun42]

So, the subject of God came up at dinner, as I made an offhand comment about the Cub Scouts' oath getting my inner atheist's back up. Conversation came around to asking Page if he believed in God, and he said, "Yeah." We, being good UUs, questioned him, asking what God meant to him. He gave the all-purpose Christian answers. Being UUs, we wondered at this, seeing as God rarely features in our conversation, or certainly not the Judeo-Christian origin myth. And 1st grade is a little young for the UU RE curriculum to be getting into other religions' beliefs. So we asked him where he learned about it.

"At school," says he.

"Oh?" says we. "When?"

"During language arts."

"Oh?" we repeat.

"Yeah, but the teacher keeps all the God papers there."


*blinks*


By now you all know I'm a pretty devout theist. I have serious tantrums where dogma is concerned (even UU dogma), but I do believe in God. I also believe, very strongly, in the separation of church and state, especially in this nutso religious-freak country. I also believe in tolerance. Just because I have a thing against religion does not mean that religion is bad, and everyone is entitled to their beliefs, including in school (as long as they are presented as OPINIONS, not fact or sponsored evangelism).

HOWEVER.

What is this course? Why are the "papers" not getting sent home? If the course was a Bible story, well, you know, that's fine. The Bible is full of wonderful (and terrible) stories. But... why the secrecy? An introduction to the origin stories of all religions would be an awesome curriculum in my opinion, but, erm, I don't think Allah was mentioned. Or Shiva. Or the turtle. And I know for certain that the Flying Spaghetti Monster was not mentioned, as Page hadn't heard of it when Geoff brought it up tonight.

So... My inner arch-atheist-conspiracy-theorizing-nutso is roiling right now. My rational self is calm and collected, seeing as the conversation with Page went in a direction we liked (we were supportive and calm throughout). It upset me to tell him not to talk about his beliefs about God to his friends, however, but, well, I can just see how well it would go over for one of his friends to go home and say at dinner, "Look, Ma, I'm eating God! nomnomnom"

(Page announced that God was everything. I did not say it to him, even though that's what I believe. And it certainly wasn't me who took the conversation to the logical extremes it went to!)

But... well... what's going on?

Comments

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

Sounds like your language arts teacher has an agenda. It is probably not sanctioned by the school. Religion does not belong in school unless it is a study of such or it is a religious school.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

The language arts teacher is his regular teacher, and... I don't know. We'll be talking to her at parent teacher conferences. Hopefully it is just a study on religion. That I can get behind.

[voxangelus.livejournal.com]

I would be losing my ever-loving mind, and then I'd be on the horn or in the classroom first thing in the AM to find out what's actually going on. *hugs* And then I would likely morph into momzilla and breathe fire. Since that's how I get down.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

I'm keeping an open, optimistic mind. Some projects aren't sent home immediately for display reasons, and this could be one of those. We will be talking with the teacher, but we won't make a huge deal out of it unless Page starts talking about needing to be saved.

I actually do think that the concept of religion needs to be taught in school. It's such a major part of our culture and society (and Constitution! Why is there a separation of church and state?) that it would be irresponsible to leave it out. However, equal time needs to be given to all the major religions, and absolutely none of it should be endorsed.

[voxangelus.livejournal.com]

I agree with you - it does need to be taught in school for the simple reason that most children do not get any mention of any religion outside their own at home.

Momzilla would only emerge if I found evidence of biased religious teaching in a public school.

Actually, I'm a bit hacked off at our school for instituting a "harvest festival" instead of a Halloween party. No costume parade or costumes at all. If we had a more diverse religious population, it would make sense, but these kids are all either Christian or unchurched, with a likely few more Pagan or similar families in the mix. I haven't asked WHY although my suspicions immediately went to some fundie family demanding we all live by their close-minded view *sigh*. It's on my list of "bring up at conferences" and I hope I'll be pleasantly surprised.

[aurette.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey, Just wait until your little darling brings home literature given to him by fellow students that are concerned, seriously concerned, because your little one, by their understanding, is going to burn in hell.

That was a fun conversation to have with a second-grader.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not looking forward to that, though I don't think it will be all that much of a problem with Page. Though who knows... Vivid imaginations can be a bad thing, too.

[junewilliams7.livejournal.com]

I'd talk with the teacher first, see what's up. It *might* be a simple misunderstanding.

Several years ago, a little girl at my then-church was telling everyone that I don't wear clothes. (!!!) I got a translation from her mother: the kidlet said I don't wear clothes, that I wear jeans -- and jeans are not clothes. To her three-year-old mind, "clothes" meant skirts and dresses.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

That's what we're going to do. I figure waiting until the parent-teacher conferences in November won't do any harm. It's not like it was a secret the kids were told to keep (now THAT would have me in the school this morning in full combat regalia). If she is proselytizing, then we can tell her to stop or we'll go to the administration.

Translating kids' thoughts is one of those jobs moms get good at, but sure can cause consternation! !!! indeed!

[shiv5468.livejournal.com]

That doesn't sound good at all.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

It might be nothing. I'm hoping it's nothing. But the teacher will be talked to about this.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

Warning bells.

[averygoodun.livejournal.com]

Definitely.

[subversa.livejournal.com]

I will be curious to find out what it turns out to be. I had a friend who was a devout evangelical who, back in the 70s, managed to sneak in Bible readings in her middle school English classes as literature.

[evieeros.livejournal.com]

Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are religious organizations but it will depend on your local group how much that will come into things. Girl Scouts on the other is non religious and any time religion does come up it's very very inclusive.


There is an excellent book called "What is God?" that my mom bought when I was around that age. (I probably haven't read it since, so it might not be as good as I remember!)

linky: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0920668887?linkCode=xm2&tag=invihand-20

[paisleysnail.livejournal.com]

Ergh. I am a Christian, but I would totally object to scripture being taught like that - possibly secretly, by a random school teacher to a whole lot of students whose parents may not want their children to be taught those things at all, or in that manner/by that person. ~boggles~ :-S

[julesndairyland.livejournal.com]

My son went through a phase of parroting back to us very dogmatic christian trope when he was younger. It came from the very catholic neighbors down the street. We just had a discussions about different beliefs.

And if I remember correctly our congregation taught the whole exploring other religions curricula at our UU church at around 6th grade (but we also touched on faith in our annual grief/lessons of loss sessions).