How to get out of Religion

Leinsterr

Hi all. Just as a little introduction, I come from a catholic background, went to a catholic primary school and am in a catholic secondary school and I am atheist. Basically, next year I will be subjected to 4 classes a week of religion which I don't agree with. I would love to move school but that isn't an option. My school is public funded but yet we are forced into religion. It sickens me to think that in this day and age, where my peers and I will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed in the leaving cert, that 220 minutes ( 3 hours and 40 minutes) of valuable learning time will be lost. This isn't about me being a stereotypical high and mighty atheist who thinks that I am better than everyone else. I support religion for junior cert as we get to receive information about other religions which stops us forming prejudices against other religions (although the course was average at best and focused more on catholicism). For example, as a young child, I thought that Muslims were terrorists who had no empathy. These 4 classes could be used for the 4 core subjects so that's an extra 45 mins of maths I could get in a week or roughly 1350 mins more of English in a 30 week school year. The leaving cert is all about points and the more time you clock up studying a subject the more points you should gain from it (that is if you want to do well in life). I know a few people in my class feel strongly about this too so could anyone give me advice on how to get out of religion. I was hoping we could just get a study period instead of attending class. I know it's a long shot but I don't want my education going down the drain. Thanks for the advice.

Just Like Heaven

Is this religion as in the LC subject or just religion classes?

aimzLc2

Leinsterr wrote: »

Hi all. Just as a little introduction, I come from a catholic background, went to a catholic primary school and am in a catholic secondary school and I am atheist. Basically, next year I will be subjected to 4 classes a week of religion which I don't agree with. I would love to move school but that isn't an option. My school is public funded but yet we are forced into religion. It sickens me to think that in this day and age, where my peers and I will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed in the leaving cert, that 220 minutes ( 3 hours and 40 minutes) of valuable learning time will be lost. This isn't about me being a stereotypical high and mighty atheist who thinks that I am better than everyone else. I support religion for junior cert as we get to receive information about other religions which stops us forming prejudices against other religions (although the course was average at best and focused more on catholicism). For example, as a young child, I thought that Muslims were terrorists who had no empathy. These 4 classes could be used for the 4 core subjects so that's an extra 45 mins of maths I could get in a week or roughly 1350 mins more of English in a 30 week school year. The leaving cert is all about points and the more time you clock up studying a subject the more points you should gain from it (that is if you want to do well in life). I know a few people in my class feel strongly about this too so could anyone give me advice on how to get out of religion. I was hoping we could just get a study period instead of attending class. I know it's a long shot but I don't want my education going down the drain. Thanks for the advice.

Hi, this problem also occured in my school but it was that in sixth year we had to do sphe, the school didn't choose this they had to implement it, your school might have to do religion. I understand that you want the extra study time but it also could break up your day , i mean you do need a break! I would advise you to go becasue you can't be studying 24 hours but to answer your question , it is entirely up to your school , some schools are stricter than others.You need to go over your thoughts , form a good argument in your mind and make an appointment with your principal , if you are generally a well behaved , punctual student she will most likely listen to you , or send another good student who doesn't want to do religion , then the principlal will decide.

blindside88

Leinsterr wrote: »

Hi all. Just as a little introduction, I come from a catholic background, went to a catholic primary school and am in a catholic secondary school and I am atheist. Basically, next year I will be subjected to 4 classes a week of religion which I don't agree with. I would love to move school but that isn't an option. My school is public funded but yet we are forced into religion. It sickens me to think that in this day and age, where my peers and I will be under a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed in the leaving cert, that 220 minutes ( 3 hours and 40 minutes) of valuable learning time will be lost. This isn't about me being a stereotypical high and mighty atheist who thinks that I am better than everyone else. I support religion for junior cert as we get to receive information about other religions which stops us forming prejudices against other religions (although the course was average at best and focused more on catholicism). For example, as a young child, I thought that Muslims were terrorists who had no empathy. These 4 classes could be used for the 4 core subjects so that's an extra 45 mins of maths I could get in a week or roughly 1350 mins more of English in a 30 week school year. The leaving cert is all about points and the more time you clock up studying a subject the more points you should gain from it (that is if you want to do well in life). I know a few people in my class feel strongly about this too so could anyone give me advice on how to get out of religion. I was hoping we could just get a study period instead of attending class. I know it's a long shot but I don't want my education going down the drain. Thanks for the advice.

To be honest I can't see your "education going down the drain" because you have to do the same number as everyone else in the country. However if you are adamant on dropping it you could approach your career guidance councillor. When I was in 6th year I spoke to my career guidance councillor and was allowed to drop biology as all of my college courses were business related and the extra time could be used to study these. I was allowed to take study time instead and do one less exam subject. Always worth a shot

Leinsterr

fewtinsoffroth wrote: »

Is this religion as in the LC subject or just religion classes?

Just religion classes. They don't even offer the LC subject which surprised me greatly.

Leinsterr

blindside88 wrote: »

To be honest I can't see your "education going down the drain" because you have to do the same number as everyone else in the country. However if you are adamant on dropping it you could approach your career guidance councillor. When I was in 6th year I spoke to my career guidance councillor and was allowed to drop biology as all of my college courses were business related and the extra time could be used to study these. I was allowed to take study time instead and do one less exam subject. Always worth a shot

The frustrating thing is it's not the exam subject. Im pretty sure it's like PE, in that everyone has to do it. I don't think my guidance councillor could do anything about it. I'll probably be meeting my guidance councillor soon so I'll try and evaluate my options on how to get out of class.

Triangla

Get a letter from your parents stating that you are a conscientious objector and would like to be excused from religion.

If you were of another faith you would not be obliged to attend so if you are of no faith you also have that right.

I did the above and got out of religion during my LC year.

We could have had a half day Wednesday except we had to come back for double religion.

I was sweating honours irish drawing a poster of jesus when I thought **** this!

Spoke to my mum who wrote the letter after hearing me out.

o1s1n

Triangla wrote: »

Get a letter from your parents stating that you are a conscientious objector and would like to be excused from religion.

If you were of another faith you would not be obliged to attend so if you are of no faith you also have that right.

I did the above and got out of religion during my LC year.

We could have had a half day Wednesday except we had to come back for double religion.

I was sweating honours irish drawing a poster of jesus when I thought **** this!

Spoke to my mum who wrote the letter after hearing me out.

I did this and got out of religion from first year up. Did the same with PE and an ingrown toenail but thats another story

dee_mc

1. 4 Religious Education classes per week at senior cycle is most unusual: 2 is the norm AFAIK.

2. Religious education/instruction at senior cycle can be just as relevant, informative and interesting for an atheist or agnostic young person as it can be for one who practices a certain religion: the course deals with morality, and often goes into discussion of topical issues such as abortion, euthanasia, cults, relationships, etc which can enable the student to escape the Leaving Cert itself for 40 minutes, but which can also help students in such areas as critical thinking, formation of opinions etc which can only be an advantage to the student in terms of the Leaving Cert but also in terms of college and 'real life'. Therefore it may be helpful not to approach the class with the impression that it is 'a waste of time', but to see it as an opportunity both to chill out a little from the studying, and to develop and mature as a person.

3. If you decide to approach the principal of the school about reducing the number of classes allocated to Religious Education, avoid referring to the course as a waste of your time. Instead, work with other concerned students (and parents if possible) to draw up a proposal, for example that in Leaving Cert year 1 students would take in 3 classes of Religious Education per week plus one class of supervised study, and in Leaving Cert year 2 that students would take in just 1 or 2 classes of Religious Education per week, with the remaining allocated classes used for supervised study. Set out your reasons for wanting less Religious instruction, and emphasise the fact that you as a group are anxious to succeed academically (i.e. avoid giving the impression that you hate your existing R.E classes or you will truly get nowhere). Obviously make an appointment to see the principal, perhaps a group of 3 or 4 students, having agreed with the entire group what you intend to propose. Don't expect or demand an immediate decision: remember that you are trying to change policies that are ingrained over a number of years.

With regard to your assertion that the 4 R.E classes could be changed to extra sessions of the core subjects, bear in mind that this would be a massive, probably impossible timetabling change. I would go so far as to say, that will never happen! The best you can hope for, most likely, is extra study sessions.

With regard to individual students being excluded from R.E classes because of their religious beliefs (or lack of same) I wouldn't hold out too much hope, as the issue of supervision comes up. As you probably know, students legally have to be supervised by a teacher at all times, and your principal is extremely unlikely to pay a teacher to supervise you and others within your group who choose to exclude themselves from the R.E group.
This issue has come up in 2 schools I have taught in, and in both cases the students who asked to be excluded were refused on the basis that (a) other students would have wanted out of R.E. too, (b) the course content is not offensive to anyone, regardless of religious belief, and (c) the Leaving Cert course is not supposed to be solely academic, it's supposed to go some way to developing students as people.

I wish you luck but really would urge you to think it through carefully in order to have some hope of reaching a compromise

Edit: Other posters mention 'getting out of' religion on the basis of not being Christian; bear in mind many schools will not agree to this!

Leinsterr

aimzLc2 wrote: »

Hi, this problem also occured in my school but it was that in sixth year we had to do sphe, the school didn't choose this they had to implement it, your school might have to do religion. I understand that you want the extra study time but it also could break up your day , i mean you do need a break! I would advise you to go becasue you can't be studying 24 hours but to answer your question , it is entirely up to your school , some schools are stricter than others.You need to go over your thoughts , form a good argument in your mind and make an appointment with your principal , if you are generally a well behaved , punctual student she will most likely listen to you , or send another good student who doesn't want to do religion , then the principlal will decide.

I play a lot of sports and have other extra curricular activities which are academic which the school is aware of so the time I get to study has been compromised. Also I'm aiming for a high points course so I need to get as much study in as possible. I hope at least one of the people in my year who are against religion will at least make a case to the principal. Im attending school to learn, not to waste my time.

EoghanIRL

Leinsterr wrote: »

Just religion classes. They don't even offer the LC subject which surprised me greatly.

Do ap maths that's usually on during religion . That's what I do.

Lonepiper

It's funding reasons,I know my school has the same as we get money from the bishop as long as we have those classes.
That said,they are basically study periods in my school anyway,so it's not really that big an issue.
But If they are trying to teach bring in a note saying you're an atheist,you'll be able to do your own thing anyway in the class that Way.