School's ban on pregnant student criticised

SEANAD:CRITICISING THE refusal of a school to admit a pregnant teenager, Susan O'Keeffe (Lab) said the incident brought to mind the shocking ordeal of schoolgirl Ann Lovett, who died giving birth to her son next to a church in January 1984.

“In a way what happened to the 16-year-old in 2009, for me echoes that kind of carelessness and that lack of regard that we seem to still have for some of our children.”

Fidelma Healy-Eames (FG) said she regretted the “deeply exclusory” approach taken by the then principal.

Aideen Hayden (Lab) observed that “this issue had occurred not in 1959 but 2009”. “It is horrifying that in this day and age a 16-year-old would be refused an education on the basis of the fact that she was either pregnant or a young mother.”

She congratulated Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn for speedily acknowledging that further legislation was needed. The provision of education for girls who became pregnant should not be a matter of the grace and favour of individual schools.

Deputy Seanad leader Ivana Bacik (Lab) noted the House was about to debate the Minister’s report on patronage in primary schools. “Clearly there is an issue also about the control and running of secondary schools that needs to be addressed.”

Martin Conway (FG) said the Minister should be told how appalled the Seanad was at the treatment of this young woman, and that it would be prepared to fast-track whatever legislation might be needed to ensure such an appalling exercise never recurred.

David Norris (Ind) said the incident highlighted the need for a debate on the relationship between church and State. He understood that this school was State-funded but was managed in a highly individualistic way.

Rónán Mullen (Ind) said it appeared that a decision was purportedly taken in the name of ethos, but in reality it was a very capricious and individualistic decision, which he thought no right-minded person would support.

Poor records at school in pregnancy row: page 8