Madam, – In his letter (April 29th), Paul Rowe, CEO of Educate Together states that the starting enrolment policy for an ET second-level school in Lucan would be “first come – first served”. Although this policy has some serious shortcomings which deserve further separate discussion, it is irrelevant to the proposed new school for Lucan South. That’s because it isn’t the starting enrolment policy that matters but the final one. However, Mr Rowe tells us nothing about the form this might take, except that it “will be developed by the board of management of the school when sanctioned”.
Local parents would feature prominently on this board and the type of policy envisaged by them is set out clearly on their campaign website. It “will allow the five ET national schools to be feeder schools and will offer any other places to students from other schools in Lucan or further away.”
Given that “over 300 pupils will shortly transfer from primary to second-level” from these five schools (Education Today, April 13th), such an enrolment policy would guarantee that the number of children admitted from primary schools other than ET would be approximately zero.
Talking about equality is easy. But in this situation, it is Co Dublin VEC which will actually deliver it. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – A quote attributed to me was taken out of context in the letter from Lucan South Secondary School Action Group (April 27th).
In Education Today (April 13th) I had stated “I’m sure the VEC runs great schools, but the thing is that my daughter and son will be asked to go to the library and read during religion class. Educate Together schools are run within a particular ethos. There are three community colleges already in Lucan. Why set up another one? Our children need somewhere to go”.
My comment highlighted the common concerns of thousands of parents nationwide, who want their children to continue in the Educate Together ethos, where all are treated equally at secondary level too. – Yours, etc,