Complainer
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See thread title.
Very bad behaviour at Mass for First Holy Communion.
- Thread starter Romulan
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Can posters maybe explain exactly what they are are referring to here - what are you accusing these schools of?
It's not entirely clear to me.
Far from gossip, it is a personal experience. So shocked was I to encounter it, when I looked further I found that education is a grounds for descrimination in your schools, this is in our constitution, on the basis of protecting your faith.
In the area I live in, the RC schools discriminate by geography, the CoI do it based on religion.
I'm not telling porkies. The CofI pupils are the first in line for the local community college as per the selection criteria below & the reaosns behind it. The pupils don't have to live in the catchment area either. I don't have a big issue with it for the CofI pupils.
Qualifications - Selection Criteria:
1. Church of Ireland and Protestant students attending Castleknock Church of Ireland National School.
Note: There are no non-fee paying Protestant schools in North-West Dublin. Consequently when the college was established, it was designated as a feeder school for Church of Ireland and Protestant children in order to protect the rights of this minority, thus ensuring that a significant number of this community could be educated together. It was also agreed that a representative of the community would be a member of the Board of Management.
Complainer
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Wow - I'm amazed at this kind of further discrimination on religious grounds. Thanks for the clarification.
Why is it amazing? It's a 'designated' COI/protestant school.
Is the educate together idea not generally a good one? This is an example of sorts of the same ethos. I don't see the problem.
emotive choice of word there - I would have said 'prioritise'. The national school that my children attend prioritise children from the cachement area (i.e. parish) over children from outside that area, regardless of faith They also, for kids outside of that area, prioritise siblings of pupils already in the school, over those who are not.
Or should that be 'sibling discrimination'
?Complainer
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Because it is a state-operated and state-funded facility. Why should any state facility prioritise one religion over another? Would you be surprised if we had a catholic-only library or a protestant-only 'public' health clinic?
THe sibling rule often discriminates against those new to Ireland.emotive choice of word there - I would have said 'prioritise'. The national school that my children attend prioritise children from the cachement area (i.e. parish) over children from outside that area, regardless of faith They also, for kids outside of that area, prioritise siblings of pupils already in the school, over those who are not.
Or should that be 'sibling discrimination'
Seemingly, in this case, because:
I admit it is certainly unusual, if not maybe unique. But do you not think this is essentially a good thing?
In practice, I would have thought it highly unlikely that e.g. any RCs would end up being excluded from the school due to this policy.
.. but not because they are new to Ireland. For children oustside the cachement area, who have no existing connection to the school, new to Ireland or eye colour or 'left-handedness' or otherwise, is neither a criterion not a basis for discrimination.
Ham Slicer
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Do you mean the Catholic schools won't accept children from outside the parish?
Complainer
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If that is the case, then the COI community would have no objection to removing the priority rule - right?
Acually there are not enough places to cover the kids in the area, so there are kids from within the catchment area who would not get a place, of whatever religion. Last year, apparently, there were kids who had lived in the area for 10 years+ who were not admitted
It's an inaccurate description - non-denominational does not mean "of no church" (or religion if you prefer).
In describing the school as 'non-denominational' it could be argued that enrolment is offered to those who are members of a non-denominational church.
Under the current Education Acts all schools have to have a patron and must submit their religious educational curriculum to the Dept. of Ed.
I think (but am open to correction) that the local VEC is the patron of this school. The curriculum does not have to be instruction in a particular faith; hence the Educate Together method of teaching about all faiths.
I'm willing to bet that the religious currciulum of this school will be remarkable similar to the other schools in the area.
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