Job interview for SNA. Is religion relevant?

B

BetsyClark

Registered User
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Hi

I've a job interview for a SNA position at a local Catholic school. The letter of invitation to the interview contained a document describing the school's Catholic ethos etc.

What are the chances that my religious views will be brought up at interview?

Has any one any experience of job interviews at Catholic schools who can advise?

Thanks

Betsy
 
I don't think they will bring up your religious views as such but to be in with a good chance of gettign one of these 'prestige jobs' it helps to be well in with the local priest, by that I mean helping out in the parish, going to mass, givng out Holy Communion etc etc ;)
 
Your religious views will not be relevant at the interview. Your ability to do the job in a professional manner is the only relevant aspect of what you will go through. It is likely that you will be competing against people who have already worked in the school in a temporary capacity so you will have to be on your game. Best of luck.
 
Can someone explain what knowing the priest, or, being "in with the priest" has to do with the job of SNA? Does he give the job, what power has he got? I believe he has nothing to do with the actual giving of the position. If I'm wrong, could you give a link to his involvement?
 
The priest will be on the BoM, as representative of the owner of the school.

As a member of the BoM, he will play a part in the hiring process.
 
Your religious views will not be relevant at the interview,
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Not sure if this is a fact, the religious ethos of schools is protected under equality legalisation.
 
Leper said:
Your religious views will not be relevant at the interview. Your ability to do the job in a professional manner is the only relevant aspect of what you will go through..
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I thought this up until yesterday. I had lunch with a friend of mine who chaired the interview panel for a primary school teacher in a Catholic primary school.

He says that his job is to protect the Catholic ethos and he is allowed by the legislation to take that into account.

He asked their strongly favoured candidate about how important spiritual matters were to her. They hedged about a bit before she advised them that she was an atheist. The panel unanimously agreed afterwards that she could not be offered the job, although she was otherwise, the outstanding candidate for it.

I don't know if the same applies to SNAs, but I would imagine it does.
 
Which means you could be fired for being a homosexual etc. Equality Irish style.
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As BB would say No,No,No.

The legalisation protects instances such as, all girls schools can refuse boys and vice versa, islamic schools can refuse christians and vice versa.

Others areas such as those you mentioned are protected, race, colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, travelling community, religion, etc, and these protections are set out in detail.
 
You go in modestly dressed, with wedding ring on if you are married. You do not say you are an athesit/protestant, or that you support same sex marriage, or agree with living in sin.

In other words you play the game. I have a sibling working in education and health.

Once you're in, you can pretty much be yourself. But woe betide you if you have views that are at major variance with Catholic teaching.
 
Bronte said:
But woe betide you if you have views that are at major variance with Catholic teaching.
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I'd have thought it was incumbent on the interview panel that they ensure that the successful candidate would be comfortable with the ethos of the school and happy to promote same (whether or not religion has any place in schools being a different argument).
 
monagt said:
As BB would say No,No,No.

The legalisation protects instances such as, all girls schools can refuse boys and vice versa, islamic schools can refuse christians and vice versa.

Others areas such as those you mentioned are protected, race, colour, ethnicity, sexual orientation, travelling community, religion, etc, and these protections are set out in detail.
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Unfortunately you are wrong. At present, the exemption from the equality legislation for schools would allow them to fire a homosexual teacher on the basis that it impacts on the school's religious ethos.
 
Not aware of any designated with Atheist status. But Educate Together is the best practical option. The children learn about world religions in an informational rather than indoctrinational (is that a word?) I am an atheist and my kids go to E.T.
 
Unfortunately you are wrong. At present, the exemption from the equality legislation for schools would allow them to fire a homosexual teacher on the basis that it impacts on the school's religious ethos
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This is an exemption to the Act............same as the others mentioned.

The Acts relate to discrimination based on the following 9 grounds: Gender, Civil Status, Family Status, Age, Race, Religion, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Membership of the Traveller community.
 
monagt said:
This is an exemption to the Act............same as the others mentioned.

The Acts relate to discrimination based on the following 9 grounds: Gender, Civil Status, Family Status, Age, Race, Religion, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Membership of the Traveller community.
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No there isn't. Ruairi Quinn talked about repealing the exemption to equality legislation but I don't think he ever did it. Am open to correction.


http://www.irishtimes.com/news/soci...l-its-gay-teachers-in-the-classroom-1.1687355
 
monagt, I can't tell if we are agreeing or disagreeing.

However, to reiterate to the OP, at present a school can discriminate between potential employees based on their religion or any other issue (such as family status, homosexuality etc) that could be deemed to impact on the school's ethos.

While there is legislation planned to amend the act, it doesn't protect non-faith or other faith employees.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/law-change-will-protect-position-of-gay-teachers-1.1848231
 
Protocol said:
The priest will be on the BoM, as representative of the owner of the school.

As a member of the BoM, he will play a part in the hiring process.
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It's the chairman of the BOM who is present at the interview, along with the Principal and a member of the advisory panel. If the priest isn't the chairman of the BOM, he's not at the interview. He may be a member of the BOM, as will others, some catholics, some not. He will have no more say than any other member, they will see to that.
 
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