Madam, – As an organisation that has had to forge an alternative model of education in the face of a powerful and sometimes hostile establishment, Educate Together’s policy positions have never been founded on presumption.
We do, however, presume parents have an inalienable right to educate their children in a manner compatible to their conscience. We presume this right is expressed as a legal entitlement in Ireland both in our Constitution and laws. We presume the more actively and creatively a parent is involved in their child’s education, the better the outcomes are for the child and for society.
As a result, we also presume that our Government today has an obligation to vindicate these rights by providing for the preference of an increasing number of parents who wish to send their children to Educate Together schools.
What is staggering in the current situation is that the Government has halted the established process whereby change can take place in school supply.
New schools can no longer be proposed by patrons representing local community interest and afforded State support. Our society is increasingly demanding change, but the Government is ignoring calls for even an open forum on models of patronage. It is tinkering with a new model of State primary school that is certainly more expensive and probably unworkable. In all of this, the views and wishes of parents are being disregarded.
Educate Together has proposed a simple mechanism to address the urgent need for change.
First, that local authorities are empowered to provide administrative, legal, HR and facilities support services for all types of recognised schools on an equal basis. Second, that parents of all children are provided with a form in which they can express their first three preferences on school type or “ethos” and the local authority is then legally bound to allocate buildings, resources and places according to these preferences. Enabling legislation and negotiations over ownership of school buildings will be required.
To do this, we require vision, courage and action from our Government. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Tom Sheppard (January 30th) asks, “If we are to run our schools according to authentic Catholic doctrine, rather than the principles of the State, are we to teach our children that divorce is wrong and that homosexuality is a sin, despite the legality of both?”
Is the law of the State superior to the divine law?
I would recommend a reading of Edmund Burke’s work on the impeachment of Warren Hastings. Burke wrote: “There is but one law for all, the law that governs all law – the law of the Creator; the law of humanity, justice and equity; the law of nature and the law of nations”.
We have Burke’s statue outside the entrance to Trinity College. We still respect and honour him because of what he stood for. Do we want Richard Dawkins and his followers in Burke’s place?
In order for the human race to reach truth and freedom (not licence), I would opt in every way for Mr Burke’s philosophy rather than that of Mr Dawkins – and I have the freedom to do so. – Yours, etc,