Religious Education Archives | Teach Dont Preach

November 24, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Religion should not, and can not, be made compulsory in Irish schools

Michael Nugent was on Newstalk Radio this week, debating whether religion should be made compulsory in Irish schools. Alan Whelan of the Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Partnership argued that it should be. Religion should not be compulsory in Irish schools, because it would be a bad idea, and it can ...

October 16, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Schools teach relevance of religion, as relevance of religion declines

A new specification for religious education in Irish schools aims to teach all children about the relevance of religion to their lives, just as the number of couples choosing a religious marriage is consistently decreasing year on year. Last September, a new specification for NCCA Religious Education was introduced in ...

October 15, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Catholic School lesson plan promotes sexist, violent, antisemitic, forged Bible passage

A lesson plan in the Catholic Grow in Love series, for sixth class students, has the students acting out the Bible story about “the woman caught in adultery." This will be taught in about 90% of State-funded primary schools in Ireland, and teachers who want a job in these schools ...

October 8, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

State pays €9.8m a year for chaplains in State ETB schools

According to a recent Parliamentary response to a question by Ruth Coppinger, there are 156 Chaplains working in ETB schools, at a cost of €9.8 million to the State. Over half of second level schools are denominational, and most of the rest are defined as multi-denominational State schools with the ...

October 7, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Internal ETBI report vindicates Atheist Ireland claims about religion in State schools

Today the Irish Times published details of an internal ETBI report that vindicates what Atheist Ireland has been saying for years about the teaching of religion in Education and Training Board schools. ETBs are supposed to be the State-run alternative to denominational schools, but unfortunately many of them are run ...

September 18, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Catholic school backs homework pass for attending a religious event

A recent Article in the Irish Times “Catholic school backs homework pass for attending a religious event” highlights the discrimination that minorities face in the vast majority of schools in Ireland. Children that go to mass or choir practice outside school hours are given a reward for attending. The reward ...

August 22, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Dept of Education is trying to redefine Supreme Court judgement on religious instruction and education

The Department of Education and the Minister, Joe McHugh, are undermining the right of parents and their children to ensure that the teaching of their children is in conformity with their convictions. They are re-defining the Constitutional meanings of religious instruction, formation and education as defined by the Supreme Court ...

August 20, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Why is the State teaching moral education for all students through religion?

The NCCA Religious Education course (an exam subject) contributes to the moral education of ALL students through religion. Students are not offered another subject if opted out. Some schools make the course compulsory. This is religious discrimination. Why does the state even want to contribute to the moral education of ...

August 5, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

NCCA Religion Course was always optional

The NCCA Religious Education Course was optional when it was first introduced in 2000. The roll out of the course took 3 years. At the time, no Schools, Teachers, the TUI, Patron Bodies or the Catholic Bishops complained about needing extra resources for a new course that was introduced into ...

July 4, 2019 No Comments Teach Dont Preach

Atheist Ireland calls for ethical secularism at meeting with Taoiseach and Government

Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly of Atheist Ireland are today calling for an ethical secular State at a meeting of the Dialogue Process between the Taoiseach, the Government, Churches, and Non-confessional Bodies, in Dublin Castle. The meeting is addressing three themes: Effective Structured Dialogue, Inclusive and Diverse Communities, and Education. ...