Friday, April 22, 2011

Schools must not segregate by choice of faith (Contribution)

OPINION: We are in grave danger of creating a two-tier system of education.

AN IMPORTANT and timely debate is taking place on school patronage and governance in primary schools. 

It is especially important because it raises fundamental questions about segregation and integration.

Yet this has not received much attention, in spite of growing numbers of children from minority faiths/beliefs in the school system, many of whom come from immigrant backgrounds. 

Is it appropriate that we continue to uphold a system that separates children on the basis of religious background?

The response is to broaden the range of choices in school governance in local areas. 

Many might argue this is the best way forward in a modern pluralist and multiethnic/belief society.

But I am concerned by the development of a two-tiered system of segregation as a result of this “choice”. I am especially concerned “choice” will result in the division of our schools into “immigrant schools” and non-immigrant schools by virtue of the differing faith backgrounds. 

And faith, we know, is connected with ethnicity.

Where newer school models (such as community national schools and Educate Together schools) are established as a choice alongside Catholic schools, there is a likelihood these will continue to attract larger numbers of migrant children.

Meanwhile, Catholic schools will attract (mainly white) indigenous Irish children. Is the creation of a menu of choices of school governance at primary level an Irish solution to a “non-Irish” problem?

Furthermore, how is the child of minority faith to be catered for in a locality too small to offer a range of school choices? 

Traditionally such children have attended the local Catholic school or travelled to a school of their faith background.

Attending the local Catholic school can be problematic given the integration of Catholic faith formation throughout the school day. 

Sitting at the back of the class during “religion” time can be challenging when the class is intensively preparing for First Communion, or celebrating religious feast days. 

How is inclusion and recognition of diversity to be understood here?

The debate about the governance of our primary schools is not only about the value of “faith formation” versus “education about religions” during the school day, although these are important questions.

It is fundamentally about the importance of schools as sites for inclusion, recognition and equality in the local community and in the wider society. 

This of course is why the governance and control of education has been a controversial and sensitive issue in Ireland.

It is healthy that debate is emerging on the governance of our primary school system.

I believe we need to explore the creation of a common system for all our children that militates against segregation. 

Both the community national school and Educate Together models operate within a multidenominational framework.

The debate needs to focus on the distinctiveness of each of these and the alternative they provide to the single-faith-based models. 

It needs to focus on key principles about what we consider to be both “good in education” and “a good education” that serves the wellbeing of all children irrespective of class, creed or colour.

Dympna Devine is a senior lecturer in the school of education at UCD. 

Her book Immigration and Schooling in the Republic of Ireland – Making a Difference? is due to be published by Manchester University Press