Just who should be in the dock here?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... smate.html

OK - even allowing for journalistic licence, this looks pretty poor to me. A woman is reprimanded because her child (aged 5) was caught talking about Jesus at school. The mother - who works at the school - may lose her job because her employers obtained a copy of a private e-mail she sent from her home (NOT work) computer to her friends asking for support. They are refusing to say how they came to have a copy, though being as local authorities have extensive new powers under "anti-terror" laws I imagine they may have managed it through that.

Given that freedom of religious belief is enshrined in law (national, European and I believe in the UN charter), and it appears that a gross invassion of privicy has taken place, just who should be in the dock here?

[oldfella]

It was with disgust and anger, that I read the article, and I only hope that Head Hitler is taken to task, and sacked, for it is apparent that he neither understands children, nor the concept of freedom of speech or belief.

[invisiblepiper]

I am horrified! and like oldfella - furious.
I do not hold these beliefs - but would fight for someone's right to do so!
Have we returned to Medieval times? Where's the Inquisition?

[Green Aura]

I can't help thinking there's a "Telegraph twist" to this story.

The school's reaction certainly seems to have been over the top (and possibly illegal) but I can't help feeling this "quiet christian" was anything but. Round robin emails smack of campaign to me.

[JulieSherris]

What complete & utter crap!

Now, I have to say here, that I'm not a christian - I'm not catholic, Hindu, Jewish - anything! No, I don't believe in God. I DO have faith, but it's a personal belief.

Howver.... should someone have religion in their lives, so be it.
I've had discussions with folk about their religions, I even took RE as an O'Level at school, I took part in school assemblies with hymns & prayers each morning, as did my classmates of whatever faith they were.
It certainly didn't do me any harm - might not have done me any good either, mind

Now we're in Ireland, little Leah comes home reciting prayers in Irish - she knows her 'Lunch Prayer' her morning prayer, she knows about Brigid's Cross & the blessing it represents, she rattles the catholic religion off to us, tells us stories of Jesus & how he died, how he was born etc etc..... and she's not a catholic either!

Since when did the 'powers that be' decide the normal white person in the Uk can't discuss parts of their lives?? Obviously, religion is an important part of this families life & should be respected.
I'd rather one of Leah's friends tell her about the Sunday church service in the playground, rather than how daddy beat mummy up on Saturday night.... or am I wrong?

As for accessing the lady's private emails, the Head Teacher should be damn well ashamed of himself.

As an aside, I'm so sorry that my favourite T Shirt place is closing down - it's is american & SO outrageous - this is just the sort of topic they would love to play with for a T Shirt. I'd give you an example, but I'd probably be banned from the Ish site forever

I'll hush now, I can feel myself getting angry......

[Elizabeth]

I went to that primary school! Different Head Mistress then.....

[Loobyloo]

Slightly different version of events here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7885952.stm

[Clara]

I suspect a more balanced version from the BBC.

TBH if another child told my child that she would go to hell for not being a christian (or muslim, jew, blah blah blah) I'd be very pleased if the teacher told her to shut her trap. Clearly the mother is a raving evangelist (I mean c'mon emailing your church and asking people to pray for the situation = religious nutter) and is brainwashing her child with scare stories, children don't come up with that nonsense on their own.

[Elizabeth]

I'm not a raving evangelist - but I wouldn't think it wrong to ask my Christian friends to pray about a situation. I guess it just depends on what was asked in the email.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I'm never quite sure which is the more cruel. Those of a thestic bent telling their children that they can be saved only if they behave or those of an athestic persaussion telling them that there is only here and now and when the lights go out that's it. Both could be terrifying for a child and both are equally true to their devotees.

Still, by the by.

The BBC piece could be more the balanced, but note that it is a follow-up to the original piece that was done today, leaving plenty of time for the assorted officials to get their story "straight." The fresher the story, the closer to the truth is always a good rule.

Still, the media frenzy means that the lady concerned gets to keep her job and the teachers probably won't face too many questions about their own commitment to equality and diversity. Hopefully both sides will have learned from the experience.

[Clara]

What I meant was praying about THIS situation, surely you pray for people with cancer etc not a child being told that they have no business threatening other children with hell and damnation.

[Clara]

I'm never quite sure which is the more cruel. Those of a thestic bent telling their children that they can be saved only if they behave or those of an athestic persaussion telling them that there is only here and now and when the lights go out that's it. Both could be terrifying for a child and both are equally true to their devotees.

I think the cruelty comes when a parent does not distinguish that their belief is quite a separate matter from truth - whatever it is they do or don't believe in.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

What I meant was praying about THIS situation, surely you pray for people with cancer etc not a child being told that they have no business threatening other children with hell and damnation.

Though praying for her because some foaming atheist teacher had just scared the living crap out of the child by telling her there was no heaven or hell might be justified I suppose.

Five-year-olds are seldom reliable witnesses: we have only the testament of the class teacher concerned that this is what was going on. Can we trust that absolutely? I wouldn't, personally.

And for those of faith, truth and faith are the same thing.

[Ellendra]

The kid is 5 years old.

Five.

I know 5 year olds who think they'll get sick and die if the crust is not cut from their peanut-butter sandwich. Come on! Who is supposed to be the mature adult here? Because nobody there is acting like one.

[JulieSherris]

OK, taking the original 'offence' into account here...

Consider these 2 statements
1) If you don't believe in God, you'll go to hell when you die.....
2) If you don't wash behind your ears, you'll grow potatoes there....

The musings of a 5 year old..... had the child involved uttered the 2nd statement, would the class teacher still have gotten involved? No, I don't think so.

As Ellendra says, there certainly aren't any grown ups involved in the aftermath!!

(And yes, I AM that grandmother who told her granddaughter that she would burn if she stepped inside a church.... she most proudly told Father Joe that she didn't burn at all when they had the christmas service! )