Enrolment Policies - Discrimination

[Tulip1]

The IHRC will not do anything only register and they will keep it confidential if you want.

It is important to make sure they know.

I have no experience in appealing the dicission before the minister, I wrote to them when I had problems with our sons school but they said the school was a private body in which they had no say.

That was a completely different issue though.

[dscanlon]

Another update on this: we've now been refused from the local CoI school, who also kindly informed us that we didn't even make the waiting list. We are apparently on a waiting list for the local RC school.

We've started contacting local TDs to plead our case (it is shameful that I should have to resort to this in 2013), and will also get in touch with the Equality Authority...for what it's worth. The irony of the situation is that we live in Malahide, one of the localities involved in the recent DoE School Patronage Survey: we obviously made our opinion known, but I don't think it will have impact on our situation in immediate future.

Any merit in throwing myself on the mercies of Minister Quinn and appealing to his secular, atheistic principles? :)

I jest, but I am seriously pissed off with this situation, it's bringing huge amounts of stress into our family.

Beaucoup bad shit, as the man says...

[mkaobrih]

Best of luck dscanlon. Are there any ET schools in your area?

[dscanlon]

Thanks @mkaobrih.

There's an ET in Swords, which is about 5km away, but they have 70+ on their waiting list.

We spoke to a regional development office from ET today, and apparently there is a new primary school earmarked for Malahide/Swords for 2014, and (depending on final location) there's a possibility that it could be in Malahide.

[dscanlon]

OK, latest update in the saga...

I contacted the Equality Authority, detailing our situation. This is part of their response:

An educational establishment shall not discriminate in relation to -
a) the admission or the terms or conditions of admission of a person as a
student to the establishment,
b) the access of a student to any course, facility or benefit provided by
the establishment.
c) any other term or condition of participation in the establishment by a
student, or
d) the expulsion of a student from the establishment or any other sanction
against the student.

If you feel that your son has been unfairly treated you could lodge a
complaint by first notifying the person/organisation against whom the claim
is being made,within two months of the date of the most recent occurrence
of the discrimination (using an ES1 and ES2 form, which can be obtained or
downloaded from the Equality Tribunal website).

I was under the impression that points a) through d) weren't applicable to schools who were allowed discriminate on the grounds of religion? Has anyone any experience of lodging a complaint as per their suggestion?

As always, many thanks for your advice and support: this is an invaluable support community for me at present!

[mkaobrih]

There is a post on AI's facebook page about something similar based on this thread
http://www.magicmum.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... 6&t=495014
Some kind of class action is needed.

[dscanlon]

Thanks @mkaobrih - the OP in that MagicMum thread is actually my wife