Sir, – When Seán Ó Díomasaigh resorts to the rhetoric that the State, which pays the piper, should call the tune, he is following the usual educationist (teachers, administrators, etc) assumption that the State is the source of the wealth that meets the costs of education ("System of school patronage has had its day", Opinion & Analysis, August 3rd). In fact, it is the taxpayer, very often parents.
In keeping with the constitutional tradition of parental primacy in educational decisions, why not give to parents vouchers, proportionally corresponding to what the State spends per child, to use as they see fit to pay tuition to whatever school they prefer – denominational, Educate together, or secular? – Yours, etc,
JOHN P McCARTHY,
Professor Emeritus
of History,
Fordham University,
New York.
A chara, – Seán Ó Díomasaigh writes: “The National School system introduced in 1831 was a non-denominational one, far-seeing but soon subverted by the churches. The original objective was to ‘unite in one system children of different creeds’. Many schools, in the early years, were jointly managed. However, the main Christian churches put pressure on the government to allow support to be given to schools under the management of individual churches. This pressure was so effective that, by the mid-19th century, only 4 per cent of national schools were under mixed management. The vision of children of all faiths and none being educated together in primary schools dissipated.”
In The Irish Times of February 13th, 2010, Garret FitzGerald gave quite a different account of the introduction of the national school system, in the context that "in 1782, penal legislation making education other than in schools teaching the doctrines of the established Church of Ireland was repealed". He wrote: "In October 1831, shortly after Catholic Emancipation, chief secretary Edward Stanley, by way of a letter to the Duke of Leinster inviting him to chair a new board of commissioners of national education, founded our national school system . . . Joint applications for the establishment of interdenominational schools were to be made to this board by the different religious groups in each area. But, while the Catholic hierarchy had accepted this new interdenominational system, it was bitterly opposed, (and within eight years had been comprehensively sabotaged) by the Protestant religious authorities, who refused to join in making joint applications. In 1839 the Presbyterians secured changes in the rules which gave a strong denominational complexion to their schools, and in the same year the Church of Ireland created its own separate organisation to run its schools: the Church Education Society. The board, clearly anxious not to disappoint the Catholic community, felt it had no choice but to accept applications coming from one denomination only, and so a de facto Catholic national school system came into existence, with the bishops as school patrons in each diocese, ensuring that the teachers in their schools were Catholics."
If what Garret Fitzgerald wrote is correct, then Mr Ó Díomasaigh is mistaken in asserting that “the main Christian churches put pressure on the government to allow support to be given to schools under the management of individual churches”. The Catholic church, the “main” church in terms of numbers, although not the established state-supported church, was the exception in agreeing to the new interdenominational system.
With increasing diversity in Irish society, it seems strange that this would not be reflected in our education system, and that demand is made for a one-size-fits-all system. I do not have great confidence that a system controlled totally by the State would prove more fair than the current system. – Is mise,
PÁDRAIG McCARTHY,
Sandyford,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Further to a letter from Atheist Ireland (August 3rd), as a means to resolving their concerns, may I suggest that Atheist Ireland fund its own patronage model, build its own schools, train and employ its own teachers, design its own curriculum and invite parents to send their children to such schools. This would ensure "an education system and curriculum which is pluralist in their view and provides equality for atheists". This move would surely reflect the commitment of Atheist Ireland to meeting the needs of its "believers and supporters".
The majority of Irish children have benefited from an education system that is highly regarded all over the world. A system traditionally based on patronages that paid for school buildings and provided other financial supports that the State was often unable to fund. Pluralism comes at a cost.
I would like Atheist Ireland to tell taxpayers how its model of patronage would operate and how they would fund it and the levels of demand within wider society are for such a model? The evidence will be based on scientific principles, no doubt. – Yours, etc,
TONY O’GORMAN,
Clonmacken,
Limerick.