Sir, - Finian McGrath (March 12th) invites PATRE to "come clean" on RSE and on its own supposed "hidden agenda". He claims that "most teachers and parents are extremely annoyed" by its recent statements. How does he know? A MORI poll? He claims never to have met a teacher who disagrees with RSE.
There were eight teachers in the group that instigated the organisation over a year ago (a majority of those doing so). Since then much that we know comes from within the education world, largely courtesy of teachers, as many as 50 helping us from all parts of the country.
As for a "hidden agenda", we spell out our aims quite openly in our own constitution (copy on request). Our nation's Constitution gives the power over education to parents to delegate as they see fit, especially as to religious and moral formation. Most Irish parents are religious, and expect any such school they choose to embody their faith in any formation to be given their children. This prioritisation of rights (parents, then delegation) is also part of the new Code of Canon Law for Catholics.
Recent Roman instruction (1995) has repeated that all relationships-and-sexuality education belongs in the category of formation belonging exclusively to parents, which can be delegated by them only exceptionally, and on a one-to-one basis, subject to their own presence and supervision. It must be individually tailored, and taught in context of the full doctrinal and moral teachings of the church. Contrary to Mr McGrath's assertions, there is no clear evidence that "sex-ed" improves things, rather the contrary. Twenty-five years after it was widely adopted in the US, 51 per cent of high school boys were sexually active (1990-91). If he wishes for mutual citation of studies, let us begin!
As operated, the State-sponsored RSE programme is a breach of human rights as guaranteed by our Constitutional, European Convention, UN and canonical provisions. For it is to be delivered publicly and collectively, in classrooms, cumulatively over time, with an obsessive overkill marked by reinforcement in a whole series of subjects, and with the use of teaching techniques which relativise values and reify the family.
The social partnership on RSE is a myth. No parents (and few teachers) see in advance what they supposedly approve. In a typical south Dublin national school a quarter of parents have voted to endorse the programme. This cannot be taken as delegation (in so intimate a matter) on behalf of the other three-quarters (silent though many were). Even majorities cannot delegate to others the disposition of the lives, liberties and properties of others in a community, nor even dispose of the rights of their own children. No more so can they intrude on the rights of parenthood, conscience and religious freedom.
Plainly a way forward would be to have an opt-in clause for offspring of minorities desiring RSE, not an opt-out clause for children of those who do not want it. Even then, any classes would have to meet denominational requirements. The alternative is to divide the schools. - Yours, etc.,
Dr David N. Doyle, Chair, PATRE, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.