Parents in Listowel, Co Kerry, have united to campaign for their constitutional right to have their children educated at the town's two secondary schools.
More than 60 children were sent to school yesterday but were sent home by school management.
Parents' representatives are calling on the rest of Kerry to support them in a one-day protest next week. At a public meeting on Tuesday night, 80 parents of children at Presentation Convent girls' school and St Michael's College boys' school in Listowel agreed to send their children to school with a note requesting their children be taught. The note also stated that the children had parents' permission to leave school during unsupervised periods.
Ms Janice Murray, parent and secretary of the Presentation Convent Parents' Association branch of the CSPA (Catholic Schools Parents' Association), said parents were "angry and frustrated".
"We are not against the teachers but we do want our constitutional right for our children, which is to be educated.
"We knew they would be sent home but we have to take a stand somewhere and this is the start," she said. More than 40 pupils who arrived at Presentation Convent and a further 21 students who turned up at St Michael's were sent home yesterday.
"They came in and I told them the board of management could not guarantee their safety and we sent them home," St Michael's principal, Mr John Mulvihill, said. Mr Mulvihill was satisfied that all students that needed it had transport home. He said he was acting in accordance with the Joint Management Board advice.
Listowel parents are planning to send their children to school again today while they stage a protest outside. A further public meeting is being called tonight.
Ms Murray appealed to parents in other areas of Kerry to sign a petition requesting education for their children. The petition will be presented to the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
The Listowel branch of the CSPA decided to split from the National Parents' Council on this issue "because we wanted more action", she said.