Here's a story for you (bear in mind my wife and I are Christians and have brought our children up accordingly):

Several years ago, when my eldest was about 7 or 8, a Buddhist came to his school to talk about Buddhism for a religious education lesson. Fair enough. The class were then asked to participate in a meditation ritual. My son refused, and came home immensely distressed, fearing this would get him in trouble.

Needless to say, I wasn't impressed. I telephoned the school, and the headmaster told me that no children were forced to participate in the meditation, but that they were "invited to participate". I promptly told him that wasn't good enough, because to a 7 or 8 year old, being "invited to participate" by a teacher is tantamount to an instruction. I said I would be coming to see him to discuss the matter further and made an appointment to that effect.

By the time I sat down with him, he had rapidly backpeddled, instigating a new policy whereby no children would be allowed to participate in any religious ritual without parental consent. It was the right response, and frankly considering this was a state school, they could have got into a great deal of trouble. I had no objections to my son learning about other faiths (indeed, I encourage it) but asking him to participate in meditation crossed the line.

I wonder if this action makes me a "hateful bigot"? I think it rather proves your point about parental choice.

On a more amusing note, I asked my son what he was asked to meditate on. He replied: "On the carpet."