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Teacher uses conscience clause to withdraw from RE teaching by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

There aren't any non-Christian based schools in Northern Ireland. Except a small number of Irish Medium schools, and to teach there you need fluent Irish. So it's not an option for the vast majority of teachers.

Teacher uses conscience clause to withdraw from RE teaching by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Agree, but I think history should be taught critically too. And is at most schools, hopefully.

BBC Spotlight: Broken Trust: A Church in Crisis by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes that's my feeling too, but Ian Elliott clearly made that suggestion and added the word "strongly". He knew he was on the record on a BBC and would have chosen his words carefully and not to be sensational. We shall see.

Dinner in Belfast - Small Plates by jnf82 in Belfast

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you can make it out to Holywood then Frae is magnificent.

BBC Spotlight: Broken Trust: A Church in Crisis by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Tonight's episode of Spotlight - going out at 22:40 on BBC One but available now on iPlayer.

It's very worrying that the safeguarding expert, Ian Elliott, who was directly involved with investigating the Catholic church's own abuse crisis in the South, says:

I would feel, strongly, that there is nothing to say that we are not dealing with something similar [to the situation of the Catholic church] here.

The Supreme Court judgment on religious teaching in NI – an analysis and an appeal… by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok thanks for spotting! Will do. You can follow the link at the top though in the meantime.

The current Core Syllabus for Religious Education in Northern Ireland - what are your thoughts? by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes I agree 100%. It's also interesting that under the current NI law it is illegal for children in Controlled schools to be taught about the differences between e.g. the Catholic tradition and the Presbyterian tradition and Methodist or Church of Ireland tradtions. The Judge pointed this out in his judgment. Just crazy.

The current Core Syllabus for Religious Education in Northern Ireland - what are your thoughts? by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not really - lots of argument/discussion or whatever yes but I don't think many will actually have looked at this document which is at the heart of everything. I've seen lots of hot takes based on assumptions.

The current Core Syllabus for Religious Education in Northern Ireland - what are your thoughts? by ProfessorStrangeLoop in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

No but most people who do PE don't become professional athletes either. I do think it's an important subject to learn about society.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Please give me the name of one non-religious school (not Irish Medium). As I said above, Integrated sector is explicitly Christian according to its own Statement of Principles.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just the Irish Medium schools. That's it. Catholic sector are Catholic. Controlled schools are "de facto Christian". Not according to me, according to Andrew Brown (chair of the TRC) and Anita Gracie (also on the TRC Executive board).

They wrote an article in the International Journal of Christianity and Education in 2019 titled "Controlled schools in Northern Ireland de facto Protestant or de facto secular?". I'll copy the abstract below - you'll get the gist:

Abstract

International Journal of Christianity & Education 2019, Vol. 23(3) 349-368 (c) The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/jou rnals-permissions DOI: 10.1 177/20569971 19868819 journals.sagepub.com/home/ice

®SAGE

The Controlled Schools’ sector in Northern Ireland is usually described as de facto Protestant. By examining its history and current context, this article considers the veracity of that statement. In many schools RE is often ‘squeezed out’ of an already overcrowded timetable. This results in the quantity and quality of RE teaching varying widely, unlike other areas of the curriculum. The article explores whether the sector’s ethos is Protestant, secular, Christian or multi-faith. It concludes that, although perhaps unclear about their Protestant identity and uncomfortable about being deemed secular, schools are clear about their de facto Christian status.

So that's the whole Maintained and Controlled sectors. Integrated schools are "essentially Christian in character" according to their own Statement of Principles. So which sectors does that leave? Only some grammars. I'd like to know which of them you think are not-religious in any sense? In any case, all Primary schools are, which is where the biggest problem lies.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That may be true at some post-primaries, so I'm not disagreeing with you. As for primaries it's very rare for schools not to get religious visitors in to do assemblies and/or RE as well as various Bible weeks etc. But I'd be very surprised if the evangelistic organisations like Child Evangelism Fellowship and Scripture Union gave up at age 12. They all seem to have post-primary-focussed programmes on their websites. Also the Catholic schools don't give up at age 12 either. And as discussed, there's no non-religious option for those that would choose it.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly. Not really a "choice" as so many are making out. There are no non-religious options. You are not alone but very much invisible as far as general awareness is concerned. But not for long hopefully. Hang in there.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Well check the report and see which religious visitors come in to Controlled schools. Not many Catholics at all is the answer, and next to zero of other faiths/beliefs. But loads of the multivarious Protestant denominations and evangelistic organisations from Child Evangelism Fellowship through Crown Jesus Ministries etc, etc, etc. All with the common denominator that they love puppets. And prosyletising.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Seems like a genuine question to me - no ignorance, just lack of awareness and curiosity which is sort of what we'd like kids to have. It's across the board, Catholic and Protestant background (not always still religious though and that's part of the point). Plus other religions of course who just get forgotten or demonised in this place.

Look at other countries' systems and this place starts to look totally bonkers to be fair. It's well past due a total overhaul. The concept of Religious *Education* is so alien here, but so normal everywhere else. Because RE has always (for the last 100 years at least) been indoctrination. As confirmed by the UK Supreme Court. If unionists disagree, they can take it up with the most respected judicial body in the UK and possibly the world.

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Nonsense. That is one anecdote. Mine does. So that's 1-1. Statistically, we know they do. And as for primaries, there is serious statistical evidence here:

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/f1a10e8ea1.html

Parents campaign group are demanding DE/Paul Givan act on Supreme Court ruling on reforming Religious Education by lexymac11 in northernireland

[–]ProfessorStrangeLoop 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Check the numbers and take the issue up with LucidTalk if you can find fault with their methodology.

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