Sir, – Your Editorial ("Educating Together", June 9th) on plans by the Stormont Executive to fund "shared education" between Catholics, Protestants and those of other faiths, gives a guarded welcome to the initiative.
However, I believe the provision of “shared campuses” rather than the complete integration of students is a failure to take the bold steps necessary to confront sectarianism and racism in Northern Ireland and could be construed as promoting a benign form of apartheid.
You cite as an unacceptable reality that of 291 schools in Northern Ireland in the 2011-12 school year, 180 had no Protestant children and 111 had not a single Catholic on their roll.
Since the foundation of the Northern state a policy of segregation of communities was rigorously enforced in line with the policy of gerrymandering to ensure continuation of unionist hegemony in predominantly nationalist areas.
Indeed, a recent survey found that in excess of 90 per cent of the population in the North lives in denominationally segregated housing.
Therefore, the successful integration of students in education can only come about if there is the same appetite to pursue a similar policy of integrated housing. This policy of integrated education, which I fully endorse, must be consensus-based, not mandatory, where difference is not just tolerated but respected, where all creeds, colours and systems are celebrated and where the existence of schools with a differing ethos is both welcomed and defended. – Yours, etc,
TOM COOPER,
Templeville Road,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.