Sir, – Reserving a quota of places in oversubscribed denominational national schools for "unbaptised" children will not work ("Minister calls for places for unbaptised pupils" Front Page, December 28th).
Gaming the system unfortunately becomes the norm wherever quotas apply. Surely the only approach is not ask any question at the enrolment stage about religious denomination. Let schools treat all equally, with local demand being the first criterion. – Yours, etc,
JIM DEVINE,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Contrary to the view that removing rule 68 of the Rules for National Schools 1965 is largely a symbolic move, it could have quite strong effects.
Rule 69, part 2, requires that no child shall receive, nor be present at, any religious instruction of which her or his parents or guardians do not approve; and that the periods of formal religious instruction shall be fixed so as to facilitate the withdrawal of pupils to whom the previous sentence applies. Rule 69, part 5, requires that these periods be indicated on the timetable. Rule 68 contradicts at least part of rule 69, and thus after rule 68 is removed, the rules will require national schools to keep what was religious instruction in 1965 (now called faith formation) separate from education that is secular (“secular” appears in rule 56).
The Minister for Education will send a circular letter to every national school to announce that rule 68 is cancelled. In this letter she could draw attention to the requirements of rule 69, parts 2 and 5.
From 1965 until 2015, various ministers for education have sent circular letters to national schools, and it is possible that some circulars have modified some of the 1965 rules. If there has been a circular letter that has reduced the effects of rule 69, the Minister could send a circular letter cancelling that, and restoring rule 69 to its original state. Removing rule 68 and making schools obey rule 69 would move national schools quite a way toward being fair to all children who attend, toward ceasing discrimination on the grounds of religion and respecting all children’s rights on freedom of religion. – Yours, etc,
PETER O’HARA,
Carrigatogher,
Nenagh,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – While April Duff of Education Equality (December 31st) graciously accepts that denominational schools should not be removed, she does want any faith-formation classes to be held outside of normal school hours. Ms Duff's argument appears to be that in the absence of class places for all children, whose parents do not want their children "exposed to indoctrination" in a particular area, no State-funded school should be able to offer faith formation during school hours.
Ms Duff accepts the constitutional right to religious freedom, but resents the funding of faith-based classes. But surely the fact that the overwhelming majority of parents define themselves as practising a particular faith has some relevance to the debate.
The reported plans of Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan seem to me to be reasonable if they achieve a balance in ensuring denominational schools accommodate a percentage of children who are not of the school’s religious denomination, while accepting that faith development is part of that school’s curriculum.
Rights are usually not a one-sided affair and can demand compromise, particularly on this issue of access to education, until such time as the State can fund sufficient numbers of non-denominational schools to meet the growing need. – Yours, etc,
FRANK BROWNE,
Templeogue,
Dublin 16.