Sir, – Joseph Corr (December 22nd) states: “There is no greater opportunity to now establish an Educate Together post-primary school in the short term than in Lusk”. Might I suggest to the parents of that general catchment area who are now evaluating what might best suit their children at post-primary level, that they seriously consider opting for the most democratic and all-embracing second-level type of school in the Republic, ie the community school? The community school is a multi-denominational, community orientated, co-educational, egalitarian and democratic system. It has been a successful role-model for the multi-dimensional change that has developed in the two other systems since 1972.
There are now 90-plus such schools from Carndonagh to Castletownbere, Bray to Clifden, Gory to Gort. This includes the comprehensive schools, of which a small number have slightly different board of management composition. The success at all levels of the best educational practice and institutional performance is something their staff and quite independent boards of management have reason to be proud of.
Their experience over the past 40 years would attest to the educational and social benefit derived from those schools’ provisions toward personal and community development. Indeed, one might justifiably claim that this school-type is the nearest model to fit our newly-elected President’s view of what a Republic might sustain from an educational viewpoint.
I recommend its ethos to all developing areas. – Yours, etc,