Sir, – John Hogan believes that removing religion from the core curriculum of school subjects is a "progressive" step (December 29th). Progress in what direction, I wonder?
He writes: “There is an inherent contradiction in an approach to teaching that equates any religious framework, or any set of non-religious unsubstantiated beliefs, with school subjects that are based upon centuries of scientific inquiry.”
Presumably this attitude would also prevent schools from teaching literature, art, history, or pretty much any subject outside the hard sciences.
Education that does not involve the transmission of moral, spiritual and other norms is simply training.
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Mr Hogan suggests that “equipping children with the tools of philosophical inquiry” is a better approach.
Personally, I find this “teaching children how to think” model far more intrusive and sinister than openly and honestly presenting them with a doctrine, a doctrine they might accept or reject when they leave school.
There are in fact no “tools of philosophical inquiry” without an inbuilt bias.
Surely we all know from experience that the charismatic figure who encourages youngsters to “think for themselves” is always nudging them in a particular direction? – Yours, etc,
MAOLSHEACHLANN
Ó CEALLAIGH,
Ballymun,
Dublin 11.