Sir, – Seán O Diomasaigh laments the existence of school patrons in Ireland with “agendas” (Letters, March 15th) and suggests they are responsible for segregation along class, religious, and ethnic lines.
What Seán’s contribution fails to recognise is that it has been school patrons such as Educate Together who have been pushing the envelope on true equality and inclusion in the Irish education system for over four decades.
When, in the 1970s, families had no choice but to send their children to religious-run schools, a small group of pioneering parents instigated a campaign to have children educated together, free from any religious agenda.
The equality-based school movement was born out of this parent-led campaign, and today tens of thousands of children are being educated together in an atmosphere of equality and respect as a result.
Seán tells us that “parental choice is an emotional red herring”, but I beg to differ.
As does Article 42 of the Constitution, which gives priority to parents, and specifically prohibits the State from obliging parents “in violation of their conscience and lawful preference to send their children to schools established by the State or to any particular type of school designated by the State”.
Voluntary organisations with the values of equality and respect at their core, championing the primacy of parents in the education of their own children in line with their constitutional rights – surely that’s an agenda we can all get behind?
– Yours, etc,
GARY DOYLE,
Straffan,
Co Kildare.