Can a Jehovah's Witness attend a Methodist Preschool?

Question

I teach for a preschool that is in a Methodist Church. Our curriculum provides light bible teachings... very generalized bible stories. Recently, a parent of a child attending told us that her child was not permitted to join in on Halloween and now Christmas activities and they would not be attending our parties. We assume the family is a JW (mother has not provided any information on this and we don't wish to pry), but were confused on why a JW would send their child to a Methodist based preschool when nondenominational preschools are also available in our area? I know very little on the JW religion and do not want to offend the family and want to make sure we don't offend them. We were also concerned since we do teach them the Pledge and the little I do know tells me the child should not be participating in this. Thanks in advance for all of your help.

Answer 1

Yes, a Jehovah's Witness parent might have a child attend a "Methodist" preschool, although it seems odd to do so. Jehovah's Witnesses do generally believe that their children should receive religious instruction alongside the family, from fellow believers.

It may be that the non-Witness father of the child insists on this school, and the Christian wife recognizes his relative authority to make such a decision.
...(1 Corinthians 11:3) The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.

Or it may be that the family simply believed that the school's combination of reputation, convenience, and economy would outweigh what they guessed might be a handful of religiously-compromising circumstances. Perhaps they misjudged.

Or, the family may have become associated with Jehovah's Witnesses only since the child's enrollment.


In any event, it seems somewhat premature to assume that the child is from a Jehovah's Witness household. Many other Christians reject Halloween; which seems unsurprising when one considers its glorification of things associated with Satanism and the occult. Similarly, more and more fundamentalists and certain Baptists recognize that the modern "Christmas" is merely a renamed "Saturnalia". Thus, a family which rejects Halloween and/or Christmas cannot be assumed to be Jehovah's Witness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_08.htm

Answer 2

There may be many factors. That may have been the only one with an opening, the other parent may not be JW, etc.

It is very kind of you to be respectful.

There are places around the world where people have to be in a school of another religion. But she may just be a single working mother who had to have someplace open to keep her child.

Ask a JW or her for the JWs and education brochure.

Thanks for your concern and good wishes to you!

Debbie

Answer 3

If other preschool's are available, I wouldn't think a JW would send their kid to one religious based.
Perhaps the parent is only studying to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Also, if the parent is studying (but hasn't been baptized into the organization) maybe they wont want to transfer the kid halfway through the year or if she had to pay, maybe she doesn't want to lose her money.
I've known other religions who didn't participate in holidays though- not just JW's.
Thanks for your question though!
Feel free to ask her. I'm sure she wont mind. (You can always politely ask: "I've noticed you're not wanting your child to participate in ___ is there any paticular reason why?"

Answer 4

You need to talk with the parent. I am a Christian, one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Educating one's child is a personal matter, beyond of course legal guidelines. While I myself probably wouldn't put my child in a religious school, that is My choice.

You seem to want to be helpful to the child and parent, thank you.

Answer 5

We have a brochure entitled "Jehovah's Witnesses and Education" that is made especially for school authorities.

You could ask the local Witnesses for a copy.

(Or if you don't mind getting it via email, feel free)

Answer 6

i wouldn't think that a JW would want the children to mix in with another religion.hard to say.