THE IRISH Human Rights Commission and those dismissive of religious
belief and the Catholic ethos in schools were forcefully criticised at Friday’s hearing of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the
Primary Sector at the Department of Education in Dublin.
“There is
a temptation in contemporary Irish discourse to dismiss religious
belief as inherently irrational, divisive and anti-intellectual. Some go
so far as to say that schools with a Catholic ethos cannot create a
sense of civic virtue,” said Fr Michael Drumm, chairman of the Catholic
Schools Partnership.
Speaking on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’
Council for Education, he told a plenary session of the forum that “this
runs completely contrary to the Catholic education tradition, which is
built on a respect for faith and reason”.
He noted the question of
human rights had arisen at the forum, particularly with regard to
children whose parents wish them to opt out of religious education
classes, and that the recent Irish Human Rights Commission document on
religion and education also dealt with this issue.
“Many of us
have serious concerns with the language used in the recommendations of
the IHRC document. It speaks of the dangers of proselytism and
indoctrination in denominational schools, without ever defining these
terms in the course of 106 pages.
“I reject the claim that the
religious education provided in Catholic schools is indoctrination. To
introduce a child to the faith of parents through the schooling system
is not proselytism or indoctrination but education. Catholic parents
have the human right to form their children in accord with their
philosophical and religious convictions,” he said.
Religious
education had “nothing in common with indoctrination, which amounts to a
deliberate harming of students by undermining their natural ability to
reason.
“In contrast, Catholic schools are committed to the
deepest respect for both faith and reason and as such they contribute
significantly to the formation of rational and mature citizens of our
democratic society,” he said.
Catholic schools were “committed to a
religious education which invites students to grow into a deeper
understanding of Christian faith; it is respectful of difference, it is
holistic and it is in dialogue with contemporary culture”.
Such
religious education was “philosophically justified; it is based on
well-established educational principles and fully respects the human
rights of all involved”.
Those who dismissed schools with a
religious ethos “as little more than proselytising and indoctrinating
tools of religious authorities show little sense of the long evolution
of Catholic schools over many centuries, the rich diversity within the
Catholic sector and the principles which underpin such education today”,
he said.
He pointed out that Catholic schools had “a
responsibility to uphold the right of parents who wish, on conscientious
grounds, for their child to opt out of any subject. It became clear in
the conversations at the forum that it would be helpful for such schools
if a protocol were agreed between the relevant education partners with
regard to this issue.
“This might cover the timetabling of religious education and the understanding of the integrated curriculum,” he suggested.
“Denominational
schools, if they are to maintain their identity, will need reasonable
legislative provisions concerning enrolment, employment and the
curriculum in religious education,” he said.
Such issues were
addressed in the recent submission by the Irish Episcopal Conference to
the universal periodic review of the UN Human Rights Council, he added.