Homophobia 'widespread' in schools [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 July 2011
The majority of primary school teachers are too uncomfortable or too afraid to confront widespread homophobic bullying by young students, a Department of Education course heard today in Dublin.
The week-long course, which is the first of its kind for primary school teachers in Ireland has been approved by the department as one of its teacher education summer courses and is supported by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO).
It is being organised by Belong To Youth Services, a group for young gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, in co-ordination with Educate Together, which runs 58 non-denominational schools across Ireland.
Teachers and principals from both Educate Together and traditional church-run schools today heard how young children were learning to associate homosexuality with negativity and the difficulty authority figures had in confronting the problem.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Quinn to respond to religious on handing over of properties [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 July 2011
MINISTER FOR Education Ruairí Quinn is to make an announcement within days responding to proposals from 18 religious congregations named in the Ryan report concerning their handing over of properties,including educational facilities.
The Department of Education confirmed last April that it was to ask the congregations to hand over title to properties worth up to € 200 million.
Since publication in May 2009 of the Ryan report, which contains the findings of an investigation into clerical sex abuse of children in religious-run residential institutions, the 18 congregations have agreed to pay €476 million towards the €1.36 billion compensation costs.
As this was € 200 million short of the equal share of the bill to be paid by the State, as recommended in the Ryan report, proposals for the remaining payment were sought from the congregations.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Govt rejects 'unfair' education criticism [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 04 July 2011
The government has dismissed criticism by a prominent academic of the way in which third level education in the country is run.
In an interview for the Sunday Times yesterday (July 3rd), Professor Tom Begley, who was dean of the Smurfit and Quinn business schools at University College Dublin until recently, said the authorities lacked a coherent strategy.
He also described the Leaving Certificate as "completely dysfunctional" and called for it to be scrapped.
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Facing up to social networks [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 July 2011
A recent survey shows that 52 per cent of children aged 11-12 in Ireland have their own profile on a social networking site, so how do you keep your child safe online, writes SHEILA WAYMAN
PARENTS ARE forever asking what age they should let their children walk to school alone, have a mobile phone, use make-up, go into town with friends or go to a disco.
A recent addition to this classic line of questioning is, what age do I let my child go on Facebook?
In theory, at least, there is a very clear minimum age: you have to be 13 to register with Facebook. The reality is very different.
When computer consultant Amanda Chambers went into a south Dublin primary school last month to talk to about 50 fifth and sixth class children about internet safety, the first question she asked was how many of them had Facebook profiles.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Criticism of plans for education 'unfair' [IrishTimes]
- Published: 04 July 2011
CRITICISM OF the Government’s education strategies by a former leading university academic was “unfair” and misinformed, the Department of Education has said.
Prof Tom Begley, who was until recently dean of UCD’s Smurfit and Quinn business schools, said the Leaving Cert should be scrapped and the Government “does not have a clue” how to manage third-level education.
In an interview published in the Sunday Times yesterday, Mr Begley, a US academic who has returned to the US after seven years at UCD, said the Government lacked a strategy for third-level education, although he said Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn was showing “some good early signs”.
In relation to the Leaving Cert he is reported as saying: “I would love to see it taken out into a field and blown up. It is completely dysfunctional.”
A spokeswoman for the department yesterday said Mr Quinn was on the record in relation to his concerns about the “points system” for third-level entry and the effect this had had on the Leaving Cert and the readiness of new entrants into higher education.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
