Ruairi Quinn plans forum on removing Catholic Patronage

[MichaelNugent]

Yesterday, Jane Donnelly and I attended the Department of Education’s Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. We were there to elaborate on, and answer questions about, the written submission that Atheist Ireland previously made to the Forum.

We were questioned by the Advisory Group to the Forum, which consists of Chairperson Dr. John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus at NUI Maynooth; Dr. Caroline Hussey, former Registrar and Deputy President, UCD; Fionnuala Kilfeather, former Chief Executive of the National Primary Parents Council; and the Secretary to the Forum, Breda Naughton.

You can read more details about this session on our secular education campaign website Teach Don't Preach.

Atheist Ireland meets Forum on Primary Education

[Tulip1]

Thanks for that Michael!

[MichaelNugent]

A summary of the questions and answers part of our meeting with the Forum is now online.

Questions and Answers from Atheist Ireland meeting with Irish Government Forum on Primary Education

[lostexpectation]

who asked each question they extraordinarily revealing in themselves.

[mkaobrih]

Article in the examiner

Group invites Catholic primary schools to consider changes in patronage

By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

CATHOLIC primary schools are to be asked to consider if they might hand control to another patron — though both the timeframe and the number of schools which might change hands remain unclear.

The Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) is asking all 2,800-plus primary schools under the patronage of the local Catholic bishop to reflect on their identity and priorities with parents, pupils, staff, management and the local community.

The CSP, set up by the Catholic bishops and religious orders in 2009, wants the exercise carried out in the current school year "to prepare the way for a change in patronage where that would be appropriate".

Most schools opened in the last decade are non-denominational or multi-denominational, but 90% of the 3,300 primary schools remain under Catholic patronage.

The Department of Education identified 43 areas where more diverse provision may be needed last year.

But Fr Michael Drumm, CSP chairman, said the strongest theme to emerge from extensive consultations with Catholic school communities is that people want to be part of a conversation, rather than have a national plan foisted on them from above.

"If this is to make headway, and we would welcome some level of change in patronage, it will only do so if local school communities are part of the process," he said.

"What we hope and would expect to emerge is that a significant number of schools will confirm and strengthen their Catholic identity in this process of self evaluation.

"But others might come to the view that a change of patronage may be welcome and they may want to reflect on that."

A key deliberation of the advisory group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, set up by Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, is how decisions might be reached on whether a Catholic school is to divest patronage.

A preliminary report from the group chaired by Professor John Coolahan is expected shortly.

"What we hope emerges is a roadmap that facilitates all of us looking to the future, we don’t have any guidelines," said Fr Drumm.

"People keep talking about votes or surveys of local opinion but division in local communities has to be avoided."

Based on its research, the CSP suggests protocol be agreed on the timing of religious education class to cater for parents who do not wish their child to receive religious formation.

But while some teachers and others feel that parents have abdicated their responsibilities and too much is left to schools, Fr Drumm said there was no support for moving the preparation for sacraments entirely outside of school hours.

http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/group-in ... 70247.html

[Feardorcha]

This is the Catholic Church's official opposition to the Quinn proposals. We'll no doubt be hearing a lot more from this Drumm.
I like this bit:

The study also found that Catholic schools are considered inclusive, welcoming educational establishments that respect difference by those who participated in the study. One participant said: “I would say that inclusiveness is the big feature of the Catholic primary school."

I don't think that was Tulip.

“It was suggested that perhaps Catholic communities were somewhat nervous about putting their heads above the parapet because of recent difficulties in the Church.”

Difficulties? Would that be the network of 'institutions' where children were beaten, starved and raped or the conspiracy to cover up a paedophile ring?

[aZerogodist]

Draft proposals due on primary level handovers
By Niall Murray
Thursday, November 03, 2011
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/dr ... 72728.html

Much of their deliberations are about ways to identify communities where there may be enough demand for wider choice of primary school types for the local Catholic bishop to divest his patronage and make a school available to an alternative patron.

This key area will form part of the draft suggestions to be presented on November 17 by the group, chaired by former professor of education at NUI Maynooth, John Coolahan.

[aZerogodist]

Groups apply for school patronages
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
Thursday, November 03, 2011
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/gr ... 72729.html

THE Department of Education has received applications from eight groups to be patrons of 13 new primary schools due to open in the next two years

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn announced in June that the new schools will open in major population growth areas in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Kildare.

The multi-denominational schools group Educate Together has applied to become patron to all but one. The Vocational Education Committees (VECs) in counties Cork, Dublin and Kildare and in Galway city have applied to open community national schools in 10 areas.

One of the things to note from the two articles is, "there needs to be shown a local demand", I don't know how, has there been any types of polling done, or invites for parents to contact the patron groups?

Mybe we should encourage people to contact Educate Together also to contact the VEC to clarify their position on freedom-from-religion within the classroom.

[Feardorcha]

They may use the Census, which explains why the questions were rigged.

[Tulip1]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1117/education1.html