Sir, – Barry Walsh (Letters, November 9th) acknowledges that 95 per cent of all Irish State-funded schools are religious-ethos schools.
He evades the undeniable fact that the current system systemically breaches children’s explicit constitutional right to not attend religious instruction in State-funded schools.
He also completely skirts another elephant in the room: separation of church and state.
The subsections in our Constitution that referred to the special position of the Catholic Church and recognised other named religious denominations were repealed by referendum in 1972, yet religious patrons still virtually monopolise our State-funded primary education system.
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This system is one more befitting a confessional state, not a modern, pluralistic, democratic republic that protects freedom of conscience and freedom of religion (including freedom from unwanted religious indoctrination).
He criticises my suggestion of moving religious instruction outside core school hours on an opt-in basis.
Schools could provide an effective opt out during school hours, but they do not. “Lack of resources” is the excuse typically proffered. This could be addressed by offering religious instruction at the end of the school day, as children who did not want to attend would be free to leave and therefore would not need someone to teach or supervise them.
How precisely does Mr Walsh propose that this clearly enshrined constitutional right be protected?
Even Poland offers religious instruction in schools on an opt-in basis.
Mr Walsh’s analogy regarding “maths, or Irish, or physical education” is risible. Children learn about maths, Irish and physical education in an objective manner. They are not indoctrinated in a particular denomination of maths, Irish or physical education. There are no conflicting holy books, dogmas or doctrines of maths, Irish or physical education. There is no such thing as Catholic or Islamic maths.
Moreover, there is no explicit constitutional right to not attend maths, or Irish, or physical education. – Yours, etc,
ROB SADLIER,
Human Rights Officer,
Education Equality,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.