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In Minnesota, the state gives the daycare a form that needs to be filled out and signed by the parents (and the doctor if under the age of 15 or 18 months). The parent has the option to choose to not have their child immunized. If the parent chooses this option they have to have the form notarized. It is also a right of the daycare provider to choose to not to accept this child for not being immunized. We are not allowed to discriminate against race, religion, etc, the one difference being we can choose NOT to accept children who have not been immunized.Give a little love to a child, and you get a great deal back.Comment
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I am not sure but in TX if a parent brings in a document from the state saying that the parent is choosing not to have the immunizations because of religious reasons, and it is signed, sealed, notarized etc..then that its ok. However, if I am not mistaken, once the child reaches school age, then they have to get the required shots.
Again, I am not sure but if it is true, that's good ole licensing for you! I agree with tinytotz. It should be REQUIRED. We are all protecting each other. If someone doesn't want a shot, go live in Siberia!Comment
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I hear ya!! I wish all centers, home etc, would be firm like you. My former center included hahaComment
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Not quite...
The only center I could find in my area that was acceptable to me (clean, safe, loving, etc) and would provide transportation to/from school happens to be a Methodist church. Personally, I am Wiccan, but choose to raise my children to be educated about all faiths and open minded. While I like the fact that the church dc is providing some education about the bible, I don't care for the way they are teaching my children to pray. I don't interfere with they way they run the dc, nor do I ask that they not have my children participate in prayer (we kind of just roll with it). My point is that just because I send my kids there, doesn't mean that I want them to have a christian education... it's pretty much my only choiceComment
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Just a Question about Denomination
Would you be more comfortable if you had the option of Christian classes or non Christian classes would you feel better about taking your child to a Methodist church daycare?Comment
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"Non-Christian"?
My thinking is that my children are getting a much better education on religion than I ever had growing up. Everything they are being taught is positive. (aside from the cultural garbage they would be exposed to anywhere out here anyway) I would prefer for their heads not to be filled with fire and brimstone and whatnot. Yes, I would prefer them not to be so conflicted as to have people tell them (should they feel the need to share that 'mommy is a witch') that their mommy is evil, but we live in the south--that's going to happen anywhere. The environment is loving and safe and (so far as I can see) non-judgemental. So--given the option of having all of that in a non-religious atmosphere, I would prefer it, but the option isn't present for me. Bottom line is, they are being taught love and respect from two different viewpoints (mine and that of the church day care), so hopefully this will lead them to have open and loving minds as they grow.Comment
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It is their business. Maybe they should have been more up front with you. But it's up to you if you want to stay or not you have only been there one day and looking to go to court already. I would just move on if its something that really bugs you. Starting a job at a Christian daycare then taking them to court for praying, give me a break.
GrandmaPennyComment
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Regarding immunizations, MN law requires immunizations, or that the parent sign an objection based on faith to immunizations. I will only ever have one family of non-immunized conscientious objectors, and not when I have infants who can't be immunized, to prevent the spread of infectious disease.
For the lady with the employment issue: I'm not certain of the details of the law in your state, however, if the daycare is in a church or part of a church, or listed when they applied for their license as a Christian Daycare they are legally allowed preferential hiring to Christians, as understanding and holding those beliefs would be necessary to do the job. Would a Catholic School hire a Buddhist Monk for Catechism classes? You are entitled to your religious beliefs, or lack thereof, it is America, after all. That daycare is also entitled as a Christian Daycare, to teach its basic beliefs as part of their program. Was there no hint in the name or environment that they had Christian principles? Perhaps a Noah's Ark Poster, poem on the wall or artwork hanging up, that could have indicated the type of place it was? Personally I know it can be a challenge as a Christian in any workplace around non-Christians and maintaining my faith and principles without being attacked as a fruitcake. At least within professed Christian establishments they are free to express their faith. If you are uncomfortable, the job is not a good fit and you should pursue a job in a secular business or school district run facility with a distinct separation, where your lack of faith is more of an asset. I personally run a home daycare that is state licensed, therefore cannot discriminate regarding clients or employees for any reason, including religion. Nonetheless, it is my own home and I raised my children here, so I make it clear during interviews and in my policies that as such my son prays before meals, and we have both secular and non secular books and displays surrounding religious holidays, etc. I encourage the families to discuss with me their comfort level, and personal beliefs so we can be respectful to them, as I expect them to be respectful to me. I have had Hindus, Buddhists and Jews here, and we have all managed to get along, and hopefully children learning to coexist peacefully in this environment helps them on a larger scale in adult life. I believe my profession is my calling, and I do it as a service to God, and my faith gives me strength and compasssion and love to do my job. My father was an atheist, and I have known many. In my experience many (not all) of them had negative experiences with professed Christians, or severe hardships in their life that made it difficult to believe. I have had both in my life, and understand the mindset, (and heartset) that make it difficult to interact peacefully with believers. Unfortunately non-believers use the human weaknesses that everyone has, Christians included, as a weapon against faith and the faithful. Having sin or weakness does not make a Christian a hypocrite, it makes them a sinner, human, as we all are. Hopefully all who have participated in this discussion will try to examine their motives and speech. Regardless of the integrity of a Christian's intentions, their actions and speech will always be scrutinized through the looking glass of the non- believer and be found wanting. While our faith requires us to be "fishers of men" and profess and try to spread our faith, make sure we do it in love, not with the fear and defensiveness that allows our speech to amplify negative emotions. Likewise non-believers who wish their freedom and fear the "judgement" that they feel comes with religion, should at least respect the right to our beliefs and speech on our beliefs, the same as all other faiths and athiests alike, share in our society. At least being willing to learn and understand about other cultures and belief systems allows for a more peaceful coexistence.Comment
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I Must Agree
I must agree with this. Condemning another human being for not believing as you do isn't the way to convince them
. Why on earth would anyone want part of something that causes people to reach out with such contempt and anger? The answer is, they wouldn't. We're supposed to bring light and salt to the earth, not fire and brimstone.
Check your heart, and see if your post lines up with what Christ calls us to be.
In the meantime, to the original poster:
I would look for another center to work at. It is not ethical for your boss to not be up-front about your job duties with regards to the praying and other religious aspects of your day-to-day involvement with the children. I'm not sure where this falls in the law-related aspects since it is a private business, although I would think that if religion were at the root of the center, it would need to be advertised as such. I think that if you were willing to monitor the prayers of the children (while not praying yourself), and that if you were willing to be respectful of the beliefs of the daycare owner and children who attend there, I don't see why you couldn't continue being employed. That is, unless your boss is like the poster up there who has already sent you straight to hell for your unbelief rather than being an example and letting God introduce himself to you
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Good luck with your situation, and I hope it works out for you!Comment
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