A chara, – Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland seems to think that the only way to meet the needs of parents who do not want their children exposed to a particular religious ethos in a school is to deny all parents their right to send their children to a school with a religious ethos by imposing a secular one in all schools ("A secular State is best for religious and atheist citizens", Opinion & Analysis, January 10th). It is not.
The possibility of opting out of religious instruction in our schools is real and is availed of by many. There also exists the opportunity for those who are sufficiently motivated to set up schools with whatever ethos they happen to prefer. That includes secular schools.
That so little has been done by those who make the most noise in the media about the issue to provide these as an alternative for those they claim to represent is suggestive that the real goal is using the existing school system to promote an atheistic/secularist philosophy. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.