Sir, - I am pleased that the new primary curriculum "acknowledges the right of parents to arrange for their children's education in a school whose religious ethos coincides with their own religious conviction." Logically, then, it leaves "the rights of designing curricula in religious education and the supervision of their teaching . . . to the different church authorities." (The Irish Times, August 22nd).
Many parents and teachers have difficulty in seeing these principles actively recognised in the new relationships and sexuality education programmes (RSE), training in which has been given by the Department of Education and Science to thousands of primary (as well as secondary) teachers. Ostensibly church-affiliated experts have themselves played a part in drawing up or spreading programmes at variance in tone and teachings from authoritative Christian, Islamic and Jewish ethos and conviction. Amongst Catholics, there is growing realisation that RSE, as is, departs substantively from the operative Vatican guidelines. Yet there is a widespread and well-grounded impression that such programmes will be taught even through religious education slots, or, if this is not possible, simply around them, in other slots. Religious formation in accord with the convictions of most Irish parents would thus be made even more difficult than it is today.
There is similar disquiet in Northern Ireland as to the introduction of parallel courses. Recognition of the full rights of very varied religious conscience is deeply rooted in Ulster, and is surely axiomatic to reconciliation there and on this island. We in the Republic cannot be behind the normative Ulster tradition in this regard in any of the spheres for harmonisation to be developed in consequence of the Good Friday accords.
Thus a clarification of the RSE situation is urgent and desirable. Recent tragic events have taught even the dullards (in Seamus Heaney's word) that there is no "beyond good and evil" for any political or civic ends. To most Irish people, south and north, this principle applies, if only less strongly, as to the innocence of childhood and the sacredness of family and marriage as in the matter of the sanctity of life itself. Their beliefs as to human intimacy are often as central to conscience, conviction and ethos, as their fear for the dignity of life itself. Programmes which obscure or suppress this fact can hardly assist civic bonding across the boundaries of distinct beliefs and lifestyles. It is an illusion to hold otherwise. - Yours, etc.,
David Doyle, MA, PhD,
Chair, Parents and Teachers for Real Education (PATRE),
The Meadow,
Woodpark,
Dublin 16.