So last night my 10yo daughter told me she was uncomfortable with a recent trend of singing praise to some or other god at school (non-denom).
She asked me to request she be excused and is happy to leave the class/hall so just written the following email to the head. Very proud of her, she used to believe in a god a few years back and we left her to make her own mind up but I told her my thoughts on the subject obviously.
Also quite frightening when you realise the influence you have over children and how easily that influence could be put to work with a belief system.
Very proud dad!
Dear Mrs ******,
My daughter, *****, informed me last night that she is taking part in various prayer and songs that mention god lately and she expressed feeling uncomfortable about this. We are non-believers and hold a mixture of atheist/agnostic views in our family and I would prefer my children to grow up able to critically think about and question all beliefs without having any particular one held above the others as ‘the truth’. If she decides later in life to follow a religion then I want it to be her fully informed choice when she is old enough to do so. With this in mind, I would like to ask that ***** be immediately excused from any further prayer or praise activities to any type of gods. She has told me she is happy to leave the classroom or hall when this is taking place.
I hope I have not misunderstood the situation as I have only listened to what ***** has told me. I am visiting the school with ***** next Tuesday and am happy to talk with you then if we need to clarify anything.
She asked me to request she be excused and is happy to leave the class/hall so just written the following email to the head. Very proud of her, she used to believe in a god a few years back and we left her to make her own mind up but I told her my thoughts on the subject obviously.
Also quite frightening when you realise the influence you have over children and how easily that influence could be put to work with a belief system.
Very proud dad!
Dear Mrs ******,
My daughter, *****, informed me last night that she is taking part in various prayer and songs that mention god lately and she expressed feeling uncomfortable about this. We are non-believers and hold a mixture of atheist/agnostic views in our family and I would prefer my children to grow up able to critically think about and question all beliefs without having any particular one held above the others as ‘the truth’. If she decides later in life to follow a religion then I want it to be her fully informed choice when she is old enough to do so. With this in mind, I would like to ask that ***** be immediately excused from any further prayer or praise activities to any type of gods. She has told me she is happy to leave the classroom or hall when this is taking place.
I hope I have not misunderstood the situation as I have only listened to what ***** has told me. I am visiting the school with ***** next Tuesday and am happy to talk with you then if we need to clarify anything.
