Sir, - Fintan O'Toole, in his article on education in the Republic (The Irish Times, November 1st), rightly acknowledges that "nobody wants to get the churches out of education or to deny parents the right to have their children educated in a way that does no violence to their own values". Yet I believe that Mr O'Toole fails to understand the importance of protecting the right of schools to promote a religious ethos in keeping with the wishes of parents.
The reason why this is a particularly delicate area is because education (particularly primary school level) plays a major role in the developing and upbringing of children in this State. No education system can claim to be "value-free" or morally "neutral". Parents are entitled to send their children to a school whose teachers, by and large, share the values of their religion.
The rights bf non-Catholic/non-Protestant teachers and parents, as well as those who prefer interdenominational education, should not be neglected. However, Fintan O'Toole's repeated use of the word "sectarian" with reference to Catholic schools is offensive and implicitly stigmatises schools which adhere to any particular religious ethos. Words such as "sectarian" should not be used lightly, particularly with its modern connotation of bigotry.
if any genuine progress is to be made in recognising the rights of educators, parents and children, the relative autonomy of schools from State interference should be upheld, as well as their right to adhere freely to a particular ethos. - Yours, etc.,
Mount Prospect Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.