Anthony sat down with me this morning at breakfast and says "I'm going to say grace!" Then proceeds to pray over his food.
What
The
Hell?
I ask him where he learned that from and he says at his "little kids school" (the daycare).
If you didn't know by now, I am not a religious person. Generally, I am a very passive person about it. "Live and let live" -you know? But when people start indoctrinating my son it just burns me up. How do I bring this subject up with the daycare people? Do I bring this up with the daycare people? Do I risk them treating him/me like an outcast? Do I risk them being mean to him? Do I risk them ignoring my wishes just to spite me? Or do I just shut up and deal with it?
He is at such an impressionable young age. If he grows up and decides he wants to believe in a god, out of his own free will, I will be fine with it. I am not fine with people convincing him that things are true and forcing him to perform religious rituals when he doesn't have the mental ability to figure things out on his own.
This is on top of learning that he does the pledge of allegiance at his "big kids school" every morning and the part "under god" is included. I know I can't possibly be the only non-theist/non-Christian parent with kids going to this public school.
I would bring it up. Separation of Church and State, right? I'd be peeved too. I would just say it in a nice way so that they realize where you are coming from...
ReplyDeleteI've sent J to christian schools in the past, and while I'm not a bible-thumping religious person, I felt that the care and education he received there was excellent, so we simply dealt with it. If nothing else, it opened up doors to explore religions of all sorts. And I explained to him that he did not HAVE to participate in anything he didn't want to, he simply had to be respectful of it. i.e. no goofing off in chapel, sit quietly for prayer, etc. It worked out for us.
ReplyDeleteIf it really bugs you, simply approach the teacher and let her know that you and Anthony have other religious views.
Randy learned religious songs in his daycare. I just let it be.
ReplyDeleteHe can make his own choices and a little exposure to religion isn't going to hurt him.
I don't see the pledge as a big deal. That IS how we say the pledge anywhere (secular or religious) I've ever been.
ReplyDeleteIf he's simply seen other students pray before their snack, I don't know that the school can do much about that.
If you feel the need, you can have a discussion with Anthony.
The pledge isn't a huge deal, I was just surprised that they say it here as I was under the assumption that it was taken out of schools. I know when I was going through school we stopped saying it when I was in/around 4th or 5th grade. (1994/95?)
ReplyDeleteThe praying before his meal is big, to me. It is a teacher led prayer that they all recite together. I don't like it.
For those of you who say you have no problem with it, would it still be ok if they were praying to Allah at lunch time instead of to God?
Nope, wouldn't be okay with it. ;)
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression it was just his friends that he saw. If it is a public (not church/Christian advertised) school, I think it would be find to address it.