tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post4987720772006512227..comments2023-07-18T19:52:35.156+10:00Comments on another something: Arguments for RE in schoolSimone R.http://www.blogger.com/profile/05248239853519762027noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-21723919375590317842011-08-04T21:57:07.864+10:002011-08-04T21:57:07.864+10:00We've just come home from the school concert. ...We've just come home from the school concert. The lady who co-ordinates all the Scripture teachers in the school was presented with a certificate of appreciation. It was great to see. I love that our (public) school has a Christian principal who is so supportive of Scripture.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16213944904796774622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-29600015676998000452011-08-04T19:41:21.380+10:002011-08-04T19:41:21.380+10:00I think that issue doesn't derive directly fro...I think that issue doesn't derive directly from my argument. It comes from the question of 'rights of the child' versus 'rights of the parents'. If you have a view of robust childhood rights, and a vision for self-directed learning by children (where they choose their own curriculum) then I think this would raise that question. <br /><br />If you are more of the view that parents have the job of picking a curriculum (usually by picking a school), and inculcating a vision of reality and where you fit in it (i.e. a worldview, religion, and morality) to their children then I think it won't raise the question so much.<br /><br />And the question changes a bit as they move through the teen years. What a Christian family does if their 8 y.o. states they don't believe in God and doesn't want to go to Church might be different from what they do if their sixteen year old says they are a Buddhist and want to go to Buddhist Scripture.Mark Baddeleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-40900153235043916562011-08-04T12:30:58.910+10:002011-08-04T12:30:58.910+10:00I think Mark is exactly right, but it then raises ...I think Mark is exactly right, but it then raises the question of whether children should be restricted to their parent's religion. On this principle it would seem not? Maybe I could have turned out a very happy buddhist if only there had been the opportunity in early life.Andrew Chttp://somefoolblog.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-35499296108775022292011-08-04T06:33:25.465+10:002011-08-04T06:33:25.465+10:00Thanks Mark. That's helpful.Thanks Mark. That's helpful.simone rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16626356778188873309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-69139424444618112762011-08-04T04:07:50.409+10:002011-08-04T04:07:50.409+10:00I once gave a session at a Christian school for a ...I once gave a session at a Christian school for a Moore Mission to the teachers to encourage them to articulate the Christian faith in their teaching.<br /><br />My argument there (and I think it applies to R.E.) was that one of the features of education in the state school system is that it can't address any of the big questions of life. There is no such thing as "The Australian meaning of life" or the "the Australian vision of the good life" or "the Australian view of good and evil". On such matters the state is fairly minimalist, as it should be in a liberal-democracy. When we talk about such things we are only gesturing to a section of society's (often a large section) de facto vision of the good life. It does not the form the basis of our institutions or legislation. There is no official answer to these questions in a liberal democracy, that's fundamental to how it works.<br /><br />But human beings, at least most of us, function better if we have answers to those questions, some sense of who we are, what we are aiming for, the kind of person we want to be. Students, especially as they hit their teens, will perform better if they have a workable answer to these questions, even as they revise it as they move to adulthood.<br /><br />The Christian dimension of a Christian school (or RE in a state school) provides that for those children whose parents think that Christianity has resources in this area they want made available to their children. <br /><br />Removing RE (or even replacing it with something else run by the State, like studies in Religion) cannot serve this function. It simply is not the business of the education department to tell children what the good life is, or what the meaning of life is, or what good and evil are. In a liberal democracy, people need to work that out apart from the state, and offer it to others on a voluntarist basis - Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Secular, Humanist, Atheist etc. <br /><br />So R.E., done well, is not part of education, but is an important support to education. Remove it and you take away resources to help parents give their children a reason to get out of bed and strive for something in a self-directed way.Mark Baddeleynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-84835812338821867592011-08-03T21:09:59.584+10:002011-08-03T21:09:59.584+10:00But thanks!But thanks!Simone R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05248239853519762027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-50935206149406369292011-08-03T21:09:06.181+10:002011-08-03T21:09:06.181+10:00I'd be expensive. P&C meetings are some of...I'd be expensive. P&C meetings are some of the most unendurable meetings out there!Simone R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05248239853519762027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-911707550436621468.post-17539242542363758452011-08-03T20:50:21.314+10:002011-08-03T20:50:21.314+10:00Excellent work Simone. So - what is your hourly ...Excellent work Simone. So - what is your hourly rate because I think you could probably hire yourself as a consultant to go and brave it at all the P&C meetings on behalf of all the nervous parents!Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17557633180012575687noreply@blogger.com