Religious education.?

Question

at my school and i guess plenty of other schools out there in england, a GCSE for religious education is compulsary. I dont beleive that is right.First of all, its only half a GCSE that you get. Second, i could have done something else i actually wanted to do, instead of having R.E. Its pointless. Im christian, and i beleive you should also be taught about all the other faiths at school but i think we should make R.E a choice instead of compulsary at GCSE at least. Do you agree and what are your views on this subject?

Answer 1

i find this subject a waste of time

Answer 2

I really enjoy R.E (we call is R.S, Religious Studies). I will probably take it for A-Level. :-D My school is Christian but has a 25% non-Christian student mass. The teachers (mine in particular) are great because they give a very unbiased and broad view of all religions and why some people are atheists, agnostic etc.

Also, R.S is half a G.C.S.E for people on short course and usually people on short course don't enjoy R.S so they'd prefer having a better half grade rather than a full but worse grade whilst doing less work mass. People who are good at it and enjoy R.S though usually end up on the full course which requires a lot more work and is tougher generally. This gains a full G.C.S.E however but with a lot more work.

We have religious assemblies which are optional. I think it's good it's compulsory because it allows you to understand other people's beliefs even if you do not agree. It stops ignorance which might lead to prejudice in the future but of course if you/a guardian feel strongly that you should not be taught then of course you should be allowed not to have to attend and take something else in its place. But we get 4 options anyway so most people have already chosen other subjects they want to do.

This is possible in my school but I don't think anyone has done that because we all enjoy it or at least appreciate that it is necessary for a diverse society.

Answer 3

I understand your point, but in the present climate, i think R.E. is one of the, if not the most important subject there is. There is a global xenophobic climate at the moment (xenophobic means fear / hate of foreigners). It is well known that hate of something is often caused by fear if it, and fear of something, by not understanding it. So, R.E. is needed for schoolkids lyk me to be able to understand religions and not be xenophobic.

Answer 4

Im not religious but i am spiritual!

No i agree i think it should be a choice. RE can give many insights on how religion has helped shape human development but it should be a choice!

Maybe your school board are a bunch of raving Bible Bashing crazys....or a cult? be carefull your not being brainwashed lol!

Ban compulsory RE...make coffe breaks compulsory instead!

Answer 5

I'm from Scotland, and we never have to sit any kind of exams in RE. Tbh at my school I dont think we can actually take it at Higher level (which is like your A-levels) we never get any kind of award for it

Answer 6

that depends on if you go to a religious school, because there were no such rules at my school, but that was a while ago, maybe it's changed (i really hope not)

Answer 7

The thing is, some form of RE study is a legal requirement in England. Look at it this way, at least you get a qualification out of it. When I was at school we had to have the lessons and got nothing from it.

Plus I think it's important that people should learn about religions. Not to be taught to believe ourselves, but to be taught what others believe. The more we understand others, the less likely it is that we'll end up in conflict.

Answer 8

Blame the government, it is the only compulsory subject in British schools.

Although it is also the only subject your parents can legally withdraw you from so ask them to withdraw you.

Answer 9

Inherent in the learning process is the ideal that RE will expose you to other cultures with a view on helping you to accept them and as anyone who has travelled extensively will tell you... there is a need for us to be as culturally aware as possible.  

Sadly the way it is taught in the UK is far from that ideal.  Though some schools do a really good job some see it as 'Rest Period'  from which they can poach the teacher to fill 'more important' subjects

Answer 10

Is this fairly new? R.E. was never compulsory for me and it was only 4-5 years back. This is in England btw.

I agree that it should be the students own choice, personally I enjoyed R.E. since it was done in a detached way, I won't say fair or unbiased though since it was almost all on only two religions with only minor mentions to others and no mentions of anything like shinto or buddism. It wasn't about understanding other people at all, just about filling in the history of Christianity and Islam (iirc, it was Islam or Hindu).

If it was done better then I could live with it being compulsory, like representing all of the major religions as well as the schools of thought that say there isn't any divine (or not so divine) power.

Answer 11

back in the day (not sure about now) it was a full gcse - and was more concentrated on theology, ideals and political history - and a good basis for doing well in other subjects like english liturature

perhaps your teacher wasn't great? or you didn't get a good grade?

xx

Answer 12

In life we can only begin to break down the imaginary walls that surround us all if we are taught the reasons why we are different. Religious Education isn't about brainwashing you into thinking a different way, it's about trying to understand each other. I think it's a majorly important subject. Especially in today's world. :-)

Answer 13

I completely agree with you, it's a topic that is choice, like a lifestyle.  I'm in Wales and if I remember right here it's not compulsory. I think it's great that different religions are introduced in years 7, 8, and 9 ( I think =P ) , but for something so important as G.C.S.E I honestly think pupils should have a right to choose a study that would aid them in life.

Answer 14

I agree with you completely.  As an agnostic, I wouldn't want anyone insisting that my children were taught about religions.  The fact that I am undecided is because there is no proof and time shouldn't be wasted in schools studying things that have no basis in fact.