Groups most at risk of bullying identified in study [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 03 October 2011
IN a move that has echoes of the film The Breakfast Club, a significant study on school bullying has identified five groups — some victims, others perpetrators.
However, while the 1985 John Hughes film sees the five subcultures resolve their differences in time for a happy ending, the research by a senior lecturer in psychology at Trinity College Dublin revealed that "alternative" subcultures such as "emos", "moshers" and "goths" are more likely to be bullied and that members of "non-alternative" groups such as ‘chavs’ and ‘D4s’ are more likely to carry out the bullying.
This was revealed in a research paper on alterophobic bullying which involved the views of 820 secondary school students.
The research recommends that schools’ anti-bullying policies should pay closer attention to bullying against people purely on the basis of how they look or the groups they belong to.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD today thanked the thousands of volunteers who have served on Boards of Management of primary schools [education.ie]
- Published: 03 October 2011
The Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn, T.D., is encouraging parents to stand for election for appointment to Boards of Management of primary schools.
Elections will be arranged by individual schools over the coming weeks for appointments to new Boards of Management that will take up office from 1 December 2011.
Membership of a Board of Management is designed to reflect all the different interests in the school community (patron, parents, teachers and wider community).
There will be elections for approximately 3,300 Boards of Management with generally eight members per Board, two of whom are parent representatives.
The procedures for the appointment and operation of the new Boards of Management are being published today on the Department's website.
Full Story: www.education.ie
Education for everyone, except the children of the Irish godless [Independent.ie]
- Published: 02 October 2011
The news last week that two schools in south Co Dublin had decisions regarding their admissions process overturned by the Department of Education was rather surprising. Also surprising was the fact that many parents didn't seem to know that Irish schools regularly discriminate in favour of, and against, local children of certain religions and none. And that it is their legal right to do so.
Under section 15(2)(d) of the current Education Act, school Boards of Management are required to uphold "the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school".
So for instance, a Catholic school is required to remain just that -- with, one presumes, a majority of its pupils belonging to the Catholic faith. Which is why the Catholic school of Oatlands in Stillorgan, Co Dublin, with requests for admissions far outweighing the number of places they could offer, made the decision to give priority to Catholic children from January 2011.
As principal Keith Ryan explained earlier last week: the school is bound to uphold the ethos and serve the local community. They welcome all faiths but "we are a Catholic school and much is taught from a Catholic perspective", added Mr Ryan.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Teaching unions criticise changes to pensions [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 30 September 2011
Teaching unions have condemned proposed changes to public sector pension schemes that they claim will see their members paying more in than they will get out.
The plans, which have been outlined as part of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) and Remuneration Bill 2011 published by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin, were described by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation as "unfair, unnecessary and probably unlawful".
General secretary of the body Sheila Nunan also cast doubt on claims the changes would save the government up to 1.8 billion euros, which she described as highly speculative.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Guidelines on child safety to be mandatory [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 30 September 2011
A SAFETY programme to educate and protect students from abuse must be taught in all primary schools from today.
Despite being introduced almost 20 years ago, dozens of schools have refused to teach the Stay Safe programme.
However, from this morning all 3,300 primary schools will be obliged to do so under updated child protection guidelines.
Teachers and other school staff are already required to report suspicions of abuse, including neglect, to a designated liaison person (DLP) — usually the principal — who deals with health authorities, gardaí or others in relation to child abuse concerns. But now it will be a requirement in all primary and second-level schools that:
*The name of the DLP must be displayed prominently near the main entrance.
*As well as informing the board where a report involving a student has been made to the HSE, the DLP must now also tell them when advice was sought from the HSE but no report made; the principal must report the number of all such cases to every board meeting.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
