Sir, – On the topic of religious formation in schools, Joanna Mulvey (July 25th) states that, "If parents wish a particular religious ethos for their child, then it should be provided in the home and in their church . . . the role of a school should be to educate its students, not indoctrinate them".
Depriving parents of their right to educate their children in accordance with their own beliefs is apparently necessary for the achievement of the far more important goal of “embracing diversity”.
I think we need a catchy slogan to distil the spirit of this philosophy. How about “Diversity through enforced conformity”?
In relation to Donald Trump and Brexit, which your letter writer cites, it is also noteworthy and rather unfortunate that the particular flavour of “diversity” to which Ms Mulvey aspires encompasses only democratic outcomes of which she approves. Yes, let’s all celebrate diversity. But not diversity of political opinion. The last thing we want is an education system that produces adults who end up voting the wrong way.
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Ms Mulvey envisages a society in which all children will receive the same State-mandated education. Moreover, this education will be tailored to inculcate correct political opinions. Far from encouraging diversity, this view seeks to produce a populace marching in ideological lockstep.
When parents educate their own children in accordance with their own religious beliefs, well that’s “indoctrination”. But when a one-size-fits-all model of education is unilaterally imposed on all children, that’s just fine, provided the desired ideological compliance is achieved. – Yours, etc,
GAVIN LACY,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.