'Rate my teacher' website being used to bully pupils
- Published: 29 June 2005
MALICIOUS students are using the controversial 'rate my teacher' website to bully other students by posting personal and hurtful comments about them online.
Some students are also setting up their own websites to say "horrible" things about fellow students, the National Parents Council (post primary) said last night.
The 'rate my teacher' site has attracted over 550,000 hits. It is still very busy even though second-level schools are closed - two days ago it had 731 hits.
Some 33 named schools are listed as having blocked access to the site on school computers. But there is nothing to stop the students using home computers to make comments about the teachers in these schools.
Alexandra College in Dublin is one of those listed on the so-called wall of shame. There are plenty of comments about named teachers in that school.
Many are positive but one named teacher was described as "ridiculously bad" and "should be fired".
There is no way of knowing if the comments are made by genuine students but it's also clear that not all of those rated are teachers. Both the Parents Council and the Teachers' Union of Ireland said they were aware of instances where the names of students were submitted as those of teachers and then personal comments made about them.
Declan Glynn, assistant general secretary of the TUI, said a number of executive members had reported instances of students being named on the website as if they were teachers. A number of students were listed and comments made about them from one particular school in the west of Ireland.
Parents' leader Eleanor Petrie said it was clear that the "moderators" who were supposed to monitor the comments were not effective in some schools. Users of the site were only supposed to comment on teachers but from the beginning, students' names were also put up on the site.
She said students were so proficient with the internet that some were setting up their own websites and making particularly horrible comments about other students. In one case, students were using the school's computer until this was stopped.
The TUI and secondary school managers have been advised they cannot take legal action to close down the 'rate my teacher' site. Education Minister Mary Hanafin has also said her department had no means available to shut down the site, as the worldwide web is international.
Click here to access the article on the Irish Independent website - unison.ie
Desperate housewives protest over 'unsafe' school
- Published: 29 June 2005
THE Desperate Housewives came to the Dáil looking for some action yesterday.
But it wasn't the stars of the hit US TV show protesting on Kildare Street. It was a group of angry mothers, furious that their children are being taught in a GAA clubhouse in Santry, Co Dublin.
Styling themselves the 'Desperate Housewives of Gaelscoil Cholmcille', the group of 25 parents spent the best part of an hour protesting outside the gates of Leinster House.
Gaelscoil Cholmcille, a primary school for girls and boys established in the mid-'90s, operates out of the first floor of St Kevin's Football Club, which has just four toilets for approximately 250 pupils.
It is small and cramped, the parents say, with narrow corridors and a principal's office that also functions as a library and staff room.
While the parents say the football club has been "brilliant", they are furious that their children are being schooled in premises totally unsuitable to their needs.
"I have a son who's about to go into sixth class and he's never known what a proper school looks like," said Anne McKenna, whose daughter also attends the school. "It's an absolute disgrace.
"The children are in atrocious conditions, they really are. I have to say, we're lucky that we kept the teachers, because (Education Minister) Mary Hanafin wouldn't work where her health and safety was being compromised.
"Yet they expect the teachers and the children to work and be taught in conditions where their health and safety are being compromised."
The Department of Education said the provision of a proper building for the school was "under active consideration", but could give no indication of when it might get the go-ahead.
The Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for managing State property, has identified one site which "could provide for the long-term accommodation needs of the school", a department statement said. However, it is giving no firm commitment that this site will be earmarked for the school.
"The building of a new school on a greenfield site is only one option being considered by the department," the statement added.
"A second option, which could offer a better value-for-money solution, is being examined as part of an overall review of the primary educational infrastructure in the area where the school is located."
Click here to access the article on the Irish Examiner website
Healthy eating on menu in new school campaign
- Published: 28 June 2005
SCHOOL CHILDREN will be given rewards for eating more fruit and vegetables through a new campaign being introduced into 150 primary schools this autumn.
Schools in disadvantaged areas will be particularly targeted in the "Food Dude" scheme, which has been approved by the EU who will part-fund it, along with the Department of Agriculture and the fruit and vegetable industry in Ireland.
The new campaign is timely given recent findings of low fruit and vegetable consumption in Irish children along with increased obesity and weight problems, said Junior Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith.
Children will get customised rewards such as stickers for eating fruit and veg.
Click here to access the article on the Irish Independent web-site - unison.ie
Minister allocates
- Published: 24 June 2005
ESSENTIAL building and repair works will be carried out at a further 151 schools this summer, Education Minister Mary Hanafin announced yesterday.
The additional €8.5 million to the summer works scheme (SWS) will allow 90 primary schools and 61 post-primary schools address health and safety issues, upgrade toilets and play areas, upgrade electrics and heating and repair damaged facilities.
Ms Hanafin announced the allocation of €60m to almost 600 schools in March for projects such as gas, electrical and mechanical works, roof replacements and repairs, window replacement and toilet upgrades.
The SWS allows schools carry out important work during summer holidays and early autumn, meaning there is minimum disruption to classes while it is carried out.
The emphasis in the latest phase is on structural improvements and external environment issues, such as upgrading play areas, school security and adjustments to facilitate curricular developments.
Ms Hanafin said the level of demand for funding for higher priority projects in the earlier SWS phase meant it was not possible to fund important projects, such as playground creation and upgrades.
"The main areas covered in this phase will provide special- needs access, upgrade play areas, enhance school security and allow adjustments to facilitate curricular developments, such as upgrading of science labs and arts and crafts rooms," she said.
Since its introduction two years ago, the SWS has allocated more than €101m to 1,183 projects.
While teachers have concerns about the additional administrative burden created for principals during summer holidays, they welcomed the latest funding.
Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) general secretary John Carr said principals who effectively act as project managers in some schools should be paid a fee that reflects the extra time and effort put in to ensure the job is a success.
Schools in every county, except Kerry, Laois and Leitrim, will benefit from the extra funding.
In Dublin, 30 schools will receive support and projects in 23 Cork schools will also be funded.
Summer Works Scheme - 2nd Phase announced 23rd June, 2005
- Published: 23 June 2005
