Anyone non-religious here? Please be nice!

[maryk117]

mom'sfolly :

Public schools are not allowed to say "God does this or that". It is advocating religion, and a clear constitutional violation. I would recommend talking to the vice-principal or principal because the teacher obviously sees nothing wrong with it. In a public school environment is perfectly acceptable for a teacher or a child to say a personal grace over a meal, or a personal prayer. It is not all right to a teacher to pray for a classroom group or to say "God makes the flowers grow". When a teacher or an administrator prays or uses God while teaching it is a clear violation.

This being said, you might have to pick your battles. You may want to request a different kindergarten teacher for your child siting "personal reasons" or "personality" conflicts. This gets your child a new teacher without you coming off as an "anti-Christian nutjob". While this does not address the issues at your school, it does give your child a break from a message you don't approve of, and is illegal coming from school. It also gives you the room to decide if this is something you want to make a stink about. Yes it is clearly a violation, but it may make the school a very hostile environment for you and your child, and set your rural community against you.

You know I was reading this particular part of the thread and what you are saying about picking your battles, is wise. Though it really makes me think a town with that type of attitude is reverse-persecuting. Unlike this thread, where you don't have to skirt around your beliefs (or lack thereof) michickenwrangler has to try to pussy-foot around the issue just to be able to keep the school straight on the church vs. state law. That being said, I tend to avoid the "religion" talk when I am not in the company of my closest friends so as not to invite debate/confrontation as I do live in the Bible Belt...​

 

[michickenwrangler]

AGain, we've had issues with this school. There are 2 elem. schools in the district and they originally wanted DD to attend the other one, quite a bit further from our house, plus she would have to change buses (she's in Kindergarten) and wouldn't have any local friends, some would even be in the next county. So we fought with the district to get her to the closer elementary school. Then her teacher wanted to hold her back because of her "immaturity". Again, with a Sept. b-day, she will always be the youngest and she says she acts up b/c she's bored. Also ... she has IMPROVED her behavior in the last few months (but the teacher still wants to hold her back). Now she comes home talking about "God controls the weather."

I'm a little tired of fighting, but I've got as much warrior blood in me as any Christian. My father's family is from Krakow, Poland, once part of the Mongol Empire and his family shows it: short, dark and bow-legged and my maternal grandpa claims to be descended from the "Polish Vikings" (historically the Swedes) and everyone in his family is tall, blonde and blue-eyed, even the women are close to 6 feet tall. We just may have to bite the bullet these last 8 weeks of school and just correct teacher's explanations as I have to.

DD's got a bad cold right now, so she probably won't be back to school until Thursday ... hey

that's Thor's-day!

 

[Junkmanme]

michickenwrangler,

History tells us that the Vikings raided Poland and other Slav areas, captured people and sold them in Russia as "slaves". (This is where the term "Slav" originated.) The Vikings were very strong and widely travelled from 700 A.D. to 1000 A.D. They even once invaded Rome and the Romans had to pay them a ransom to recover their City.

just for conversation,
-Junkmanme-

 

[chicken+quail=luv]

I'd just like to say that yes, I am non-religious, as in and I don't really believe in anything, actually - I don't have any sort of idea about a superior, but I know that I can't prove that this is not real, even if that's what I believe. But, I do believe in evolution. I guess that's more than believing in nothing.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Quote:
Are they your ancestors too, skinny white guy?

Ooh, I'm also Scottish on my mother's-mother side.

Wasn't there a quote on the Simpsons about the only thing that Scots hate is other Scots?

 

[SunnyDawn]

Quote:
OK, this one irritates me! I taught for years and also took several classes on educational adminstration among other things above and beyond my teaching degree and there have been many studies that show there is little benefit to holding a child back at such an early age. A teacher cannot hold a child back in kindergarten if a parent refuses. It's not a grade. They can hold them back in any of the "grades" but they can only suggest to a parent that a child be held back in kindergarten.

If a child is acting up when they are bored it may very well be likely that the child is not being challenged enough. If this is the case then holding them back is the worst possible move! The child will be even more bored if they are made to repeat the same curriculum over again! Now the child will not be challenged in the next grade either so they will continue to be "bored". Also lots of studies show that even if they are struggling or immature that they often catch up on their own. Why would we not wait to see if this is the case before we doom a child to eternal boredom for their entire elementary school experience?

Yes I know that kindergarten teachers will say "it's not flunking if they are held back now and they will then avoid the trauma of being held back later". This is also a fallacy. Children that are struggling at an older age are more capable of helping to make that decision themselves and are often relieved to get a chance to review a grade they have been having trouble in. They can feel like they are helping to make the decision and that they have some control (they can choose to buckle down and study harder, get a tutor, complete and turn in assignments on time or repeat the grade).

I'm sorry but if a parent in this situation asked my advice as an educator, I would say wait. It won't hurt anything to wait but it could hurt to rush into a bad decision and hold them back now before knowing if it's absolutely necessary. If you would like to speak to someone else about this, make an appointment with the school counselor and express your concerns to them.

I know my opinion wasn't asked so disregard anything I've said that does not apply to your situation or isn't helpful.

Good luck!!!

 

[michickenwrangler]

I agree with you completely, SunnyDawn. I'm certified to teach 6-12 Spanish, though I currently work as a librarian in a different district. I brought up those arguments to the teacher and DH and I decided DD will go onto 1st grade.

To keep this back on topic, it's just weird that the teacher teaches "God controls the weather" yet doesn't think my daughter is up to the curriculum.

 

[eastbaychicks]

Quote:
Isn't that the teacher that isn't up to the curriculum... I mean most teachers don't know much about science right, and well it's easier to just blame God cuz ultimately in their mind he created the weather patterns... just sayin. I worked with a lot of teachers and scientists trying to share current science for the classroom and honestly most of them that were making a real effort just didn't understand the science.

 

[OccamsTazer]

I would blow my freaking stack if a teacher gave my kid the "God does it" explanation to cover the fact that they don't know something.
Blow my stack. Bigtime.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Ditto... and i would contact her about it...
and if she did it again..i'd go up the ladder...
AND..i'd tell my kid the teacher was WRONG..God does not control the weather.