New Circular Letter for religion in ETB schools? Atheist Ireland to meet Department of Education
October 5, 2018 No Comments

New Circular Letter for religion in ETB schools? Atheist Ireland to meet Department of Education

We were shocked to read a report in the Irish Times this morning that the Department of Education may be considering a new Circular Letter to ETB schools that would force students to attend the State course in Religious Education against their conscience, contrary to Section 30.2(e) of the Education ...

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Five ways to complain if your ETB school refuses to give your child an alternative subject to religion
September 26, 2018 No Comments

Five ways to complain if your ETB school refuses to give your child an alternative subject to religion

Atheist Ireland is still receiving queries from parents regarding the refusal of ETB schools, teachers and principals to implement the Circular Letter on opting out of religion issued by the Department of Education last February. When we met the Department of Education about this last year, the Department confirmed to ...

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How ETBs are using word play to deny students an alternative to religion
September 16, 2018 No Comments

How ETBs are using word play to deny students an alternative to religion

ETB Schools and teachers that refuse to implement the directive on religion issued by the Department of Education last February are telling parents that they can’t opt their child out of Religious Education and choose another subject. Their main excuses are to claim that the directive refers only to Religious ...

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Catholic Church admits studying religion is a disadvantage, but wants the State to impose it anyway
July 17, 2018 2 Comments

Catholic Church admits studying religion is a disadvantage, but wants the State to impose it anyway

The Catholic Church has acknowledged that studying religion in school, instead of other subjects, puts students at a disadvantage, and it is trying to insist that State-run schools make all students suffer that disadvantage. This is revealed in an article in the Irish Times by Carl O'Brien today, based on a ...

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Atheist Ireland will help parents to resist TUI attempts to undermine directive on religious education
June 19, 2018 No Comments

Atheist Ireland will help parents to resist TUI attempts to undermine directive on religious education

Last February the Department of Education issued a new Circular Letter on religion in Education and Training Board schools and colleges. It gives students and parents the right to choose another timetabled curriculum subject instead of religion. The Teachers Union of Ireland has been trying to undermine the implementation of ...

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Educate Together is correct about the ETBs’ conflict of interest in managing the school divestment process
May 31, 2018 No Comments

Educate Together is correct about the ETBs’ conflict of interest in managing the school divestment process

Educate Together is right to express concern about the ETBs' conflict of interest in the divestment process announced recently by the Minister for Education Richard Bruton. The ETBs (Education & Training Boards), who are managing the process, will also be applying to be patron of these schools. Educate Together states that: ...

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Catholic Church again tries to blur distinction between religious education and religious instruction
May 14, 2018 No Comments

Catholic Church again tries to blur distinction between religious education and religious instruction

In a recent article by Emma O’Kelly from RTE, Fr Paul Connell has said that the recent directive to ETB secondary schools, issued by the Department, has mistakenly equated religious education with religious instruction. Fr. Connell, who is the head of the organisation representing religious-run secondary schools, also said that while the directive did ...

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DCU Dean Anne Looney already knew in 2010 that the Religion course in ETB secondary schools was optional
April 26, 2018 No Comments

DCU Dean Anne Looney already knew in 2010 that the Religion course in ETB secondary schools was optional

Anne Looney, Dean of Dublin City University’s Institute of Education, has warned the Oireachtas Education Committee that making Religion an optional subject for students in ETB second-level schools has forced trainee teachers to look for work abroad, according to an article in the Irish Examiner. But Ms. Looney, a graduate ...

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Despite TUI claims, the Directive on alternatives to religious education can be implemented
April 24, 2018 No Comments

Despite TUI claims, the Directive on alternatives to religious education can be implemented

Recently on RTE, in a debate with Atheist Ireland’s Michael Nugent, the General Secretary of the Teachers Union of Ireland said his Union would refuse to even try to implement the new Directive allowing students to choose another subject instead of religion in ETB schools. The TUI’s John MacGabhann gave ...

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New Atheist Ireland report: How ETB schools religiously discriminate without accountability
April 12, 2018 No Comments

New Atheist Ireland report: How ETB schools religiously discriminate without accountability

Atheist Ireland is today publishing a new comprehensive report on religious discrimination across the ETB Sector, including Community National Schools. The Education and Training Board (ETB) Sector presents itself as the alternative to denominational schools in Ireland but in reality, these schools can be just as Catholic as those managed ...

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