A new code of conduct which will prevent the Department of Education "imposing anti-Catholic and anti-family" material in schools has been demanded by a leading parents' group.
The National Congress of Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Associations (CSPA) says it wants to protect pupils and parents from "objectionable thematic slants in curriculums, books and resource materials".
The CSPA complains that, despite the objections of Catholic parents, "these biased interventions, in contravention of Catholic and family values, have continued".
Controversy between the Department and Catholic parents groups has raged in recent years about the Exploring Masculinities programme in schools. The Department says the programme, which challenged traditional male/female stereotypes, was a progressive one based on best international practice. But Catholic groups have said it sent the "wrong signal" to young men.
The programme was withdrawn last year but elements of it are being incorporated into other school programmes.
Yesterday, Ms Barbara Johnston, of the CSPA, said the organisation only wanted to protect the ethos of Catholic schools and was fully conscious of "the plurality of different backgrounds and values" in modern Ireland. She said concerns voiced by Catholic parents about Exploring Masculinities had been repeatedly dismissed.
"To settle for less than Catholic norms would be to fail in our duty to parents and the pupils of the present and future effectively diminishing the ethos and standing of Catholic schools," she said.
The proposed code of conduct is designed to ensure that "instruction given and materials used" in Catholic secondary schools respects the ethos of these schools. The CSPA says there is a duty of care on all parties including teachers, school managements, Church hierarchy, diocesan authorities, pastoral carers, the State and to those producing religious texts and instructional materials, to ensure that the denominational rights of parents, pupils and teachers are upheld. The Catholic parents want a complaints procedure to be established.