Sir, – Rob Sadlier says it would be “a good start” to move religious instruction “to outside core school hours on an opt-in basis in all State-funded schools” (“Should religion be taken out of the classroom? Rob Sadlier vs Jen Hogan”, Opinion & Analysis, November 7th).
Prohibiting religious-ethos schools – 95 per cent of all schools – from teaching religion during school hours would amount to the single greatest assault on religious freedom and parental educational choice since the State was founded.
If 95 per cent of schools were compelled to teach maths, or Irish, or physical education outside school hours, we would view this as preposterous. The fact that such a proposal can be made in relation to religious education is very revealing of the attitudes of groups campaigning on this issue, who clearly believe that religion is some kind of unnecessary add-on, even in schools which were established with a religious ethos.
Banning these schools from teaching religion would be no less egregious than forcing non-denominational schools to teach religion. So how can anyone view this as a serious option?
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Two wrongs don’t make a right. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – It was interesting that neither Rob Sadlier nor Jen Hogan referred to the Education Act 1998, specifically section 9 (d) “Function of a school”, which states schools should: “promote the moral, spiritual, social and personal development of students . . . having regard to the characteristic spirit of the school”.
We can argue all we want about religion; however, the Education Act is quite clear in terms of what exactly is the function of a school at primary and post-primary level. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN O’HARA,
Carrowmore,
Sligo.