Religious Education Archives | Teach Dont Preach

August 6, 2018 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

If religion should not determine health and social policy, it should not determine education policy either

In a recent tweet the Minister for Health, Simon Harris has said that “Religion plays an important role for many on an individual basis - but it will not determine health and social policy in our country any more. Please get that.” Please just make it stop! Increasing access to ...

August 2, 2018 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

What should a Citizens’ Assembly on Religion in Irish schools focus on?

The Labour Party has recently proposed that we should have a new Citizens' Assembly to tackle the Constitutional issues surrounding our education system. They have not identified the particular Articles in the Constitution that we would need to look at. Atheist Ireland has consistently argued that the Constitution has failed to protect ...

July 19, 2018 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

The three types of religious education in Irish schools

There is a lot of confusion among parents and students in relation to the different types of religious education and religious instruction classes in Irish school at primary and second level. Here is a quick guide which we hope will give a better understanding of the basic principles in relation ...

April 5, 2018 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Atheist Ireland asks TUI to withdraw threat to undermine the rights of parents and children

In an article in the Irish Independent it is stated that teachers are threatening to pull the plug on a new Directive from the Department of Education, which permits students to opt out of religion and pick another subject. It is very disappointing to see the TUI willing to undermine ...

March 14, 2018 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Atheist Ireland response to Mater Dei/DCU appeal to talk about Religious Education

In an article in the Irish Times on the 11th March Dr. Sandra Cullen, Director of the Mater Dei's Irish Centre for Religious Education at DCU’s Institute of Education, suggests that “It’s time to talk about Religious Education.” Atheist Ireland has written to the Mater Dei/DCU seeking a meeting to ...

November 21, 2017 No Comments Michael Nugent

Submission to NCCA consultation on Junior Cycle Religious Education

This is a joint submission made to the NCCA consultation process on Junior Cycle Religious Education from: Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly, Atheist Ireland Imam Ibrahim Noonan, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Ireland Pastor Nick Park, Executive Director, Evangelical Alliance of Ireland The three groups are pictured above with Nils Muižnieks, ...

October 28, 2017 1 Comment Teach Dont Preach

Archbishop confirms that state-funded Irish schools are vital centres for Catholic evangelisation

In a speech last week to a conference on Catholic education, Archbishop Eamon Martin said that Catholic schools remain 'vital centres for evangelisation and catechesis'. Atheist Ireland has for years been pointing out this damning fact: that our publicly funded school system is part of the evangelising mission of the ...

October 6, 2017 2 Comments Teach Dont Preach

Freedom of Information Documents show State ETB schools have a specifically Catholic ethos

The Minister for Education and ETB Ireland are both presenting ETB schools as the State-run multi-denominational alternative for parents who do not want a Catholic education for their children. They are promoting ETB schools ahead of Educate Together schools. But Atheist Ireland has obtained documents under the Freedom of Information ...

August 25, 2017 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

New case shows that the Irish State directly imposes a Catholic ethos in ETB Schools

A recent case at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) vindicates the position of Atheist Ireland in relation to religion in the Education & Training Board (ETB) schools and colleges. We have consistently argued that ETB schools are run as religious schools, and that most of them have a Catholic or ...

August 23, 2017 1 Comment Teach Dont Preach

The right to opt out of religion classes is not enough to respect parents’ convictions

The right to Opt out of Religion in Irish Schools is not enough to ensure respect for the philosophical convictions of Atheist and Secular parents. In Ireland, Atheist and secular parents are second class citizens. Church and state are pursuing an aim of indoctrination, by not respecting and protecting the ...