A chara, – It is hard to imagine that the current tea-cup tempest over Rule 68 of "Rules for National Schools" is anything other than yet another attempt to stir up controversy in relation to our denominational educational system ("Change in 'archaic' rule on religious teaching sought", September 24th).
For example, the rule in question states that religious instruction is a “fundamental part of the school course”. This is entirely reasonable in a school with a religious ethos; and if anyone can point to an example of one with a secular ethos being written up by a departmental inspector for failing to comply, I would be interested to hear of it. Those who express concerns about the impact this might have on children from families whose ethos differs from that of the school they attend need to read further along in the document. Rule 69 expressly states that no child has to attend religious instruction their parent or guardian does not approve of; and also guarantees that provision be made for the child to be absent from school at reasonable times to receive instruction elsewhere of which they do approve.
The language of the “Rules” may at times seem a little quaint, and indeed dated; that is merely a reflection of the times in which they were written. But for so elderly a document, it seems commendably committed to flexibly making provision for those of differing views and backgrounds.
It is a pity that those who see discrimination everywhere, while seeking to foist a one-size-fits-all system of education upon the nation that accords with their own pet preferences, do not have an equally flexible approach to accommodating diversity. – Is mise,
Rev PATRICK G BURKE,
Castlecomer,
Co Kilkenny.
Sir, – In 1811 Henry Grattan submitted his opinion to an inquiry into Irish primary education that religion “should be taught, but that no particular description of it should form a part of their education”. Two centuries later, isn’t it past time that our current parliamentarians acted on Grattan’s advice? – Yours, etc,
Dr MICHAEL SEERY,
Dublin Institute
of Technology,
Kevin Street,
Dublin 8.