Sir, – In response to Dr James Finnegan’s letter (January 2nd) on “what to think” and “how to think” in schools, it is worth noting that this subject involves very basic human rights principles.
Under the European Convention on Human Rights, a state, in the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, is bound to respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching are in conformity with their religious and philosophical convictions. This does not mean that Ireland is obliged to fund a religious education for every family in the country. It means that they are obliged to respect the human rights of all parents, and that includes secular parents.
In order to protect this right, the European Court of Human Rights has found that states are obliged to ensure that the curriculum is delivered in an objective, critical and pluralistic manner. In Ireland, boards of management are legally obliged to uphold the ethos of the patron. In the majority of schools, religion is integrated into the curriculum and consequently secular parents cannot “opt out” their children. In the introduction to the primary school curriculum, reference is made to the role of religious education in enabling the child “to develop spiritual and moral values and to come to a knowledge of God”. There is no legal obligation on schools to publish their ethos and to write down exactly where it applies in the various subjects under the curriculum.
In other words, secular parents cannot ensure that the teaching of their children is in conformity with their philosophical convictions as their children are taught what to think. – Yours, etc,