Thread: Question about school curriculum

Do schoolkids in your country have classes on current events or Scripture lessons?
Just curious.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Do schoolkids in your country have ... Scripture lessons?
Just curious.

yes in religious schools; separation of church and state is a great thing

Public schools do not teach religious classes per se (but some universities have classes about religions), but we do have private, religious schools. For example, there are many Catholic schools.

At the University of North Carolina every year incoming freshmen are asked to read a specified book over the summer before they arrive. When one of these books was about islam there was a big to-do from the right. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... =&gs_rfai=

I don't know about the teaching of current events. High schools and colleges/universities have their own newspapers, which contain articles about current events. Here's a link to UNC's: http://www.dailytarheel.com/

Originally Posted by chaika

(but some universities have classes about religions)

These are not the same as "scriptures lessons", unless you're in in a seminary/school of theology. Comparative religion department are something different.

Schools in Europe have a subject called religious education, (RE, in English) which teaches about all major religions but particularly about Christianity. The basic Bible stories are taught; outline of the Old and New testament and the fundamentals of Christian faith, bible knowledge and what to do in Church. Religious schools can add extra scripture lessons if they want.

I had this subject all through school but it does not necessarily make people religious!
It is an easy subject to get a high grade in, therefore it is popular.

Current events: Yes, it's to learn about how your own country and other countries are run, how to take part in the "democratic process" and understand the actions and motives of other countries. In English, the name is Social Studies. I recall a huge focus on reading media critically and challenging the popularly held views.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

Do schoolkids in your country have classes on current events or Scripture lessons?
Just curious.

Hey there gRomoZeka,

In our area, in the lower grades they use "Time for Kids" http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/ to teach current events. Each student receives a copy and has to answer the quizzes or questions about articles in the weekly issues.

In the middle grades, I don't believe my girls have had current events at all!

Scripture lessons would not be taught in public schools, only in private religious schools UNLESS, it can be woven into the lesson somehow like in English class it might be able to be used to explain certain expressions that we have in language today like, never look back because... you might turn into a pillar of salt.

... separation of church and state is a great thing

I agree. That's why I asked that question. In my country they try to include Sepulture lessons into secondary schools curriculum (the decision has not been made yet, but this question has been arising reguraly for the last few years). I think that this is a huge setback, and I was very surprised at the large number of people who supports this idea.

Even if there are no marks and exams as they promise, mandatory learning of "Christian values" is still against freedom of religion! And I consider atheists to be equal to a religious group too. After all they believe that God does not exist, and have a right to demand that their kids won't be taught otherwise.

I guess there's a possibility to make these classes optional, but I think that it's better to organise Sunday schools in this case, and not to mix religion and secular schools together.

Public schools do not teach religious classes per se (but some universities have classes about religions),

Yes, we have classes on history of religion too, and it's a useful course, but it's not the same as studying Bible.

When one of these books was about islam there was a big to-do from the right. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... =&gs_rfai=

I wonder why. Even if so many people despise or fear islam what's happened to "Know your enemy"?
But I think that Carolina Univercity found the best way out of the situation:

The Carolina Summer Reading Program amended is requirements after the dispute arose. They state that: "Although the summer reading is required, if any students or their families are opposed to reading parts of the Qur'an because to do so is offensive to their own faith, they may choose not to read the book. These students should instead complete their one-page response on why they chose not to read the book."

~ to be continued...