Catholic schools to challenge HRC position [irishcatholic.ie]
- Published: 27 January 2011
Leaders in Catholic education are to mount a robust challenge to suggestions by the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) that religion in the classroom may breach the human rights of children.
Representatives from trustees, religious congregation, Catholic teacher-training colleges and other stakeholders both at primary and secondary level gathered in Maynooth last week to discuss responses.
In a discussion paper launched at a conference before Christmas, the IHRC said the central role of religion in the majority of Irish schools may be a breach of the human rights of some children.
Allowing pupils from minority faiths or none to opt out of religious instruction may not be enough to rectify the situation because the Catholic Church's ethos permeates the day-to-day life of most schools the paper added.
In an email circulated to key stakeholders, Fr Michael Drumm, chairman of the Catholic Schools Partnership, referred to the conference saying ''there was a distinct lack of professional educational expertise''.
Fr Drumm went on to add that ''many groups have approached me saying that it would be good if patronage/management and colleges of education made submissions in response to the consultation paper as these would carry some weight in terms of educational expertise''.
Full Story: www.irishcatholic.ie
