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