Sir, – I agree with Michael McDowell’s views in his article “State must not fill religious vacuum with own doctrines” (Opinion & Analysis, July 19th).
Government over-interference with constitutional provisions relating to education is not good.
The religious vacuum must not be replaced by other civic doctrines.
True liberals value diversity rather than uniformity in education and respect for parental rights and duties.
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That “parents are the primary and natural educators of their children” and that parents can delegate that function to schools and teachers and that there is no conflict of moral intent are precious. – Yours, etc,
GERALDINE GREGAN,
Clare.
Sir, – Michael McDowell appears to argue for a more hands-off approach by the State to education across our schools, but in this he misses a number of crucial realities.
Just 15 years ago, I was still in secondary school, where the extent of my formal sex and relationships education was two weeks in science class reading about reproduction. Meanwhile the students in schools just down the road were learning about how to navigate puberty and relationships. This alone demonstrates the need for a uniform curriculum across the State for sex and relationships education.
Every day in Ireland women – and indeed men – face sexual assault and harassment. Much of it is shaken off as just a normal part of life but many of those on the receiving end feel it’s wrong yet can’t articulate that, because it’s how many people were educated. Many of us were never taught about the importance of consent. And now society is paying for that failing in education.
The State has a moral obligation now to ensure that the next generations understand how to engage with and navigate the world around them. Those of us born before the year 2000 often don’t appreciate the world teenagers and young adults now live in, where, for example unsolicited intimate images are received, sent, and requested on a daily basis through this device we now all have in our pockets. How are young people meant to address this serious problem, without education?
If we want to really tackle serious societal problems like sexual assault and harassment, we need to ensure the generations coming up after us understand and can navigate the world better. And this can only be achieved through uniform, comprehensive and age-appropriate sex and relationships education delivered through schools.
If we leave the education of young people in this fundamental area of life to parents on a voluntary basis, society will simply continue to fail to address the problems we have.
Ultimately, teenagers and young people have an inherent right as human beings to an education that will help them navigate the world they live in, whether their parents agree with that education or not. – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS
HENEGHAN,
Dublin 3.