School patronage

Sir, – Divestment is not an alternative to religious equality in all State-funded schools. We need more choice between denominational and non-denominational and multidenomination schools.

But unless we divest enough schools to cater for every single non-religious or minority religion child in every area of Ireland, we cannot protect the rights of every child to freedom of religion and equality. Even then, there would still exist the fundamental problem of the State, by funding discriminatory schools, discriminating on one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination, contrary to its obligations under international human rights law. Divestment needs to take place alongside the realisation of equality for all children within existing State-funded schools. To protect the rights of the non-religious and of minority religions to freedom of religion, to non-discrimination and to education, we need to establish equal access to schools (repealing section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act) and equal respect during the school day, by removing the “integrated curriculum” and concentrating faith formation at the end of the school day so that families can effectively choose whether or not their children attend indoctrination. – Yours, etc,

APRIL DUFF,

Education Equality,

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Dublin 8.