David Quinn: We need to know how far we'll go to take religion out of schools [Independent.ie]
- Published: 24 June 2011
The forum on the future of Catholic schools has been hearing the viewpoints this week of the various stakeholders in Irish education, from the Catholic bishops to Educate Together.
The forum, established by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn, is to report back to him later this year on the best mechanism for handing over Catholic schools to other patron bodies.
The final figure could turn out to be the 50pc one touted by the Minister, or the 10pc figure mentioned by Fr Michael Drumm of the Catholic Schools Partnership.
But whatever it turns out to be, an even more important question is whether the independence of the denominational schools that remain will be properly respected.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) made its own submission to the forum and if its recommendations were to be accepted by Ruairi Quinn, the denominational schools that are left after this process is finished would not be worth having.
The INTO submission attacks the admissions policy of denominational schools, their employment rights, and their ethos.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Teachers seek end to faith rule [Independent.ie]
- Published: 24 June 2011
A RULE requiring that a "religious spirit" runs through all the work done in primary schools should be dropped, education leaders said yesterday.
The calls were voiced at the Forum on Pluralism and Patronage in the Primary Sector, which is looking at ways of creating greater choice in schools.
The forum is examining how the system can provide a diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions and none.
Its work includes finding a process for the handover of some of the 90pc of Catholic schools to other patron bodies.
The central role of religion in primary schools was a major topic at the forum yesterday, the second of three days of public hearings.
There were calls for the abolition of Rule 68 in the Rules for National Schools, which dates back to the 1920s, prescribing that a "religious spirit should inform and vivify the whole work of the school".
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Irish primary teachers enduring high stress levels, says report [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 24 June 2011
A report on Job Satisfaction and Occupational Stress among Primary Teachers and School Principals, launched today, shows that low level parental involvement and troublesome students are also contributing to high levels of stress in the teaching profession.
Full Story: www.examiner.ie
Teachers' group calls for end to faith-based lessons [schooldays.ie]
- Published: 24 June 2011
One of Ireland's largest teachers' unions has called for a law that prescribes a "religious spirit" to run though all the work done in primary schools to be dropped.
Presenting at the Forum on Pluralism and Patronage in the Primary Sector yesterday (June 23rd), the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) said the legislation is unfair on parents who do not follow such an ethos and have exempted their children from religious education classes, the Irish Independent reports.
INTO called for Rule 68 of the Rules for National Schools legislation, which dates back to the 1920s, to be abolished.
This mandates that a "religious spirit should inform and vivify the whole work of the school".
Full Story: www.schooldays.ie
Primary teachers in their 40s suffer most stress [IrishTimes]
- Published: 24 June 2011
PRIMARY TEACHERS in Ireland enjoy high levels of job satisfaction and virtually all say they are happy in their job.
A study by the Teaching Council and the Economic and Social Research Institute found that teachers were overwhelmingly positive about their work.
Almost two-thirds of those teaching nine-year-olds said they were “very satisfied”. Only a small proportion of teachers (2 per cent) were not satisfied in their job.
A broadly similar pattern was evident among primary school principals. Forty-nine per cent reported that they were “very satisfied” and 44 per cent “fairly satisfied”.
These high levels of satisfaction were reported despite “the occupational stress evident at all stages of the teaching career’’. Teachers in their 40s had higher stress levels than other age groups.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
