In My Opinion: We must respect human rights of parents who want secular schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 14 December 2011
Most of the 3,300 primary schools in the Republic of Ireland are run by church patrons, about 97pc by the Catholic Church. These schools use an integrated curriculum, in which Catholic teaching permeates every subject.
They are legally allowed to discriminate on religious grounds, and it is often impossible for parents to opt their children out of religious instruction. Soon, the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism will advise Education Minister Ruairi Quinn on how to ensure a more diverse range of school patrons.
On the surface the forum seems to be moving in the right direction, but its interim report proposed a gradual approach that will not in practice vindicate the rights of non-religious parents. In particular, the forum does not seem to appreciate the legal obligation to respect the human rights of parents who want a secular education for their children.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
