Welcome to Petitions.ie

More details from petition creator

An open letter to the Irish Equality Authority and Minister for Education; We call on you to implement essential changes in relation to the teaching and practice of religion at both primary and post primary school level. We also urge you to radically overhaul the teacher training college management structures to respect the freedom of conscience of our future teachers, who do not wish to learn or teach what they do not believe themselves. Hypocrisy should not be a prerequisite for a career as a teacher in our primary schools. Article 44 of our constitution explicitly declares that the State guarantees not to endow any religion. It also declares that the State shall not impose any disabilities or make any discrimination on the grounds of religious profession, belief or status. Yet the vast majority of schools in our country are owned and managed by the Catholic Church and are governed by Catholic ethos. Our primary school structures, with the exception of the Educate Together model, are in flagrant breach of our constitution and infringe upon the human rights of students, their parents and teachers alike. Further to this, it falls drastically short of the expectations of the vast majority of the Irish people, who do not wish for our schools to remain under Catholic or any other denominational control. We believe our current educational establishment renders it impossible to comply with the religious aspirations of those who hold minority religions and parents who wish to have their children taught in an environment free from religious indoctrination. The current patronage system would require several different schools to serve the diverse wishes of the people of Ireland in 2010. With many rural villages scattered around the country hosting only one Catholic school, it is clear that there is only one possible solution in the short to medium term; that being the abandonment of the teaching of denominational religious instruction in all schools that are in receipt of public funding. Preparation of students for religious Sacraments during school times yet again violates the rights of non-Christians and Atheists and is socially divisive on children. Further to this, it consumes precious teaching time. Such activities should be undertaken outside of school hours at no cost to the taxpayer. This should be undertaken as an absolute minimum. We believe the vast majority of the Irish people do not wish to maintain the present voluntary boards of management for a variety of other reasons as well as religious concerns. Such reasons may include fear of litigation etc. We understand that the transfer of schools from denominational boards of management to the control of the State will not be achieved in the short term, which is why we petition you to enact the necessary legislation to remove all teaching and references to denominational religious doctrine and religious paraphernalia from all public funded schools at the earliest possible date. Such religious classes should be replaced with a syllabus designed to teach children equally about all the religions of the world, as well as an equal allocation of time to the arguments for Atheism and Humanism as is successfully accomplished by the Educate Together model. This will not only be consistent with the constitutional and human rights of students, parents and teachers, but will also ensure our future generations gain cultural knowledge instead of religious indoctrination as well as instilling the virtues of critical thinking in the nation’s future leaders. Previous governments have failed to take the necessary action on these matters. The current system of providing government funding to schools whose boards of management have differing ethos should not detract from the government's responsibility to respect the rights of all its citizens with regard to educational policy. The claim that the government cannot interfere in the running of schools under boards of management should not be an excuse for lack of reform. If there are constitutional difficulties, these should be dealt with by a referendum to the people if necessary. The detailed study undertaken by the Irish Primary Principals Network, in association with the RedC poll, is one of the most comprehensive studies undertaken in recent times in relation to religion and primary education in Ireland. The poll covered approximately 25% of school principals and revealed that 72% of parents wanted primary schools to be taken over by the State with equal time devoted to teaching the tenets of all religions. 66% of principals wanted the same. Parents and teachers reported that there is a reluctance of parents and teachers to participate in the preparation for religious sacraments, with many just turning up on the day. All of this indicates the necessity for action. We do not wish to place restrictions on religious practice but rather this should be excluded from the classroom. Parents who genuinely wish to pass on their faith to their children could show their appreciation of it by taking the time to conduct their religious instruction outside school hours. This would teach their children the important virtues of pluralism and diversity. The same standards should apply to secondary schools. The Religious Education programme, while reaching beyond the Christian spectrum does not go far enough in placing equal emphasis on the world's other major religions and only requires its students to acknowledge those who take a secular approach to life, as opposed to teaching the arguments for and benefits of secular, Humanist and Atheist philosophies. This again falls far short of what should be expected in a modern and vibrant country in the twenty first century. This problem should not be left for another generation to resolve.

Current signatories

Cyril Butler, the Petition Creator, joined by:

• Cyril Butler

• Stephen Duggan

• Ciarán MacAoidh

• Helen O'Shea

• Pietro Navetta

• Gregory Franklin

• neal keogh

• Stephen Fuller

• Charlotte Prior

• Fergus Brogan

• Deborah Morris

• Jason Spratt

• Barry Hamilton

• Shea Jackman

• joe potter

• Sean Smith

• David Kelly

• Sean Coughlan

• Steve Quinlan

• Julie McAndrew

• Ian Date

• Ruth E Phoenix Spratt

• Malcolm Sparks

• GENEVIEVE MORRISON

• Rebekah Burke

• Anton Sweeney

• Taryn Donnelly

• gotoole

• Patrick Reddin

• Niall Porter

• Karen Grattan

• John Main

• Caroline Doyle

• Hugh Mc Guinness

• Russ Painter

• mary tuite

• Mary Kelly

• Catherine Lawlor

• Darren O'Neill

• Tom Canning

• Frank Donelan

• Damien Carbery

• Conor Mc Daid

• denis peel

• Lisa Woods

• Rita Harrold

• Jonathan Dowling

• Michael Nugent

• Daniel Davis

• Robert Bonham

• Colm Ryan

• Mark Dennehy

• Paul Treacy

• Conor Ryan

• megan marshall

• Danny Dowling

• Adam Dinan

• Nikki Tran

• Barry Grant

• Carla Brislane

• Keith Cooke

• Gavin McBride

• Damian OSuilleabhain

• Brett Cawley

• John Fitzpatrick

• Naoise Guerin

• Matthew Tull

• Michael Cuthbert

• David Hughes

• John Mortell

• Claire O'Leary

• Brendan Hayes

• Cian Cassidy

• Donal Ryan

• Peter Walker

• Carrie Goff

• Louise Hegarty

• Aaron Sullivan

• Brian Mcgee

• Charles Doyle

• David Boyle

• mark fleming

• mark roache

• Tom Creany

• Úna O'Sullivan

• Sara Magee

• Dina Raven

• john roe

• Joanne Cater

• Elizabeth Parsons

• Vicki Rockett

• Sandra Anthony

• Catherine Roberts

• Morag Friel

• William Finlay

• Fiona Kelly

• Mervyn Craig

• Sonya Owers

• Mick O Donoghue

• Tamara Ní Chonaill

• Eamonn Campbell

• john higgins

• Aoife Flynn

• Colum Jordan

• Cían Flynn

• Tom Creed

• Kelly Kilfeather

• Damien O' Connor

• Feidlim Ó Donnchú

• Kevin Brown

• Bryan Quinn

• jonathan cairns

• Emma Burke-Kennedy

• Naomi McArdle

• Graham Cowley

• Ann Fox

• Sarah Jane Brennan

• Mike McGrath Bryan

• Rosemarie Lalor

• Fiona Reilly

• Ross Fitzgerald

• brian dunning

• Mairead Ni Chonghaile

• Alan Butler

• E Keaveney

• Mary Carton

• Claire Murphy

• Faela Stafford

• Louise Feaheny

• Louise Macaulay

• Barry Jackson

• Padraig Monaghan

• Paul Hitz

• Donal Keaveney

• Lynn Millar

• David Martin

• Damian Henderson

• Sinead Cunningham

• Melanie Madden

• Barbara Nolan

• michael morris

• Alison Cooke

• Mark Finnegan

• Mark O' Reilly

• Thomas de Jong

• dajana michelle misic

• Drew Cooke

• Daire Leahy

• Andrew Earley

• Ciara Ní Ghabhann

• Darren Allen

• daniel walsh

• Seán Forsyth

• kevin leyden

• Myriam Vanesch

• patricica staines

• Ciara Madden

• ronan Leonard

• Dave Bonham

• Laura Connaughton

• Rachel Wilde

• Dominique Canoine

• James Creedon

• Julia Drennan

• Cara Daly

• Marion Picard

• James Burkill

• Howard Gibbins

• Aine Ni Dhomhnaill

• Moninne Griffith

• Emma Clarke

• Andrew Adamson

• Natasha O'Hare

• Martin Duffy

• Ruth Hegarty

• Nick Greaves

• Sophia Moloney

• Sheena Power

• Aoife Nevin

• Savannah Rozema

• Justin Barker

• Maria McGoldrick

• Emily Lefebvre

• Joan Murray

• Aaran Heavey

• Michael Buckley

• Jenai Ho

• Siobhan Nevin

• gillian eva golden

• Derek Healy

• Brian O'Rourke

• Chris Rice

• sean bradrick

• Dermot Magee

• Anita Butt

• Mark Dunne

• Paul Rafferty

• Brian McDonagh

• Aoife Daly

• Nora-Anne Dowling

• Nicholas Dunne

• Michael Donovan

• Dara Black

• Vikki Cullen

• Bríd McMahon

• Philip Quinlan

• Alison Looney

• AlastairMcKinstry

• Emma Gottesman

• June Rooney

• Shauna Stanley

• Ann Irwin

• George Kaar

• Terri Brosnan

• Stephen Gotz

• Mark O'Sullivan

• Rachel O'Dwyer

• Sarah Emerson

• Eleanor Lynch

• Karen Williams

• Ann Collins

• Amy McBrde

• Coralie Mureau

• paula tutty

• Paul Doyle

• Alexandra O'Connell

• David Fahey

• Darren Flynn

• Colin McCabe

• Alastair Boone

• Neil Dowling

• Agnes Kerrigan

• Daire O'Sullivan

• Declan Foley

• James Carr

• Laura

• Keith O' Brien

• Michael Campbell

• Orla McEvoy

• Sarah Lynch

• Fiachra Bonner

• tony murphy

• Stephanie O'Sullivan

• Cian Megannety

• Richard Foley

• Davida De La Harpe

• Angela Buckley

• Sercan Sahin

• tim Booth

• Loretta Small Cantwell

• Gabrielle Baldwin

• Catherine Hughes

• Sara Scully

• Jan Volbrecht

• James McVeigh

• steven timothy

• Declan McGrath

• Avril Dunne

• Naomi Dineen

• Rory O'Reilly

• emmet mc elhinney

• Miranda Celeste Hale

• Mark Lane

• Neil Ryan

• Luisa Timothy

• Mary Dempsey

• Wilfried Jaschinski

• Stephen Wyse

• Daryl Fenlon

• Darragh Lucey

• R A McCullough

• kate

• lauryn clarke

• Neil Downing

• Donal Traynor

• Tamasine plowman

• Sinéad Mannion

• Emer Downing

• Amanda Corbett

• George McTigue

• Rachel Fletcher

• Amy Power

• Marina Piratshi

• Thomas McKenna

• Davide Gallazzi

• Andrew Lynch

• Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

• Bríd Ní Luasaigh

• Sarah Kathleen Head

• dennis curran

• John Mooney

• Donal McGee

• Lisa Brennan

• zeljka doljanin

• therese maher

• Niall Austin

• abby mcsherry

• Grace Hughes

• Catherine Casey

• Gareth Kenny

• Maeve Hoban-Logan

• Niall Sherman

• Alan Cunningham

• Ronan Corcoran

• Andrew Connolly

• Sean Kelleher

• Michael Molloy

• Dómhnal Ó Bric

• Sinead Ni Bhroin

• JoAnne O'Donovan

• Peter Bissett

• Desmond O'Dowd

• Stephen Mather

• Alison Deegan

• Patrick Groenland

• Michele Morris

• Shane Walsh

• Tracy Sweetman

• padraig english

• Thomas Crean

• Breeda Ryan

• Dana Thuillier

• Catherine O'Shea

• Brendan O' Tuathalainn

• Alison Curry

• Ciara Fitzgerald

• Brian Carugo

• will dsm

• Ruaidhri Moran

• Mark Finlay

• Colm O'Toole

• Brendan Cadwell jnr

• cathal mullally

• Billy Doheny

• Rick Epperley

• Sinead Ludgate

• Jonathan Spratt

• Brendan Strong

• Norma Shortall

• Jonathan Ryan

• Karen Maria McCormack

• Cormac Eason

• Isolde Carmody

• Mark O Meara

• Andrew Gallagher

• Barbara Mastaglio

• Naomi Smith

• Paula Phelan

• David Bookless

• Rebecca Grant

• Patrick Lynch

• John Long

• Hakan Ozsoy

• Niamh Acton

• john cryan

• Ed Costello

• Laura Rainsford

• Stephen Flynn

• Leah Healy

• elizabeth adams

• Niamh Cotter

• Brian

• Emmet Townsend

• Gillian Cotter

• Jane Callahan

• David Powderly

• Siobhan O' Sullivan

• Adrian Foley

• Lisa Kelly

• Jane D'Arcy

• caroline clarke

• Lisa Whelan

• Robert Matthews

• Feargal Daly

• James Tobin

• Melanie McVicker

• Shane Lynn

• Gerard Dempsey

• Stephen Ward

• Simon Hunt

• Leon Butler

• Eamon Brett

• Jim Healy

• Aileen O'Donovan

• Damien McGlynn

• Conor Horgan

• Killian Doherty

• Karl Hutson

• Paul Duane

• Sylvia Callan

• Cilian Mac Liam

• declan mcinerney

• Oliver Leung

• Cathy Dalton

• Angela Hunt

• Mary O'Donovan

• Robert Dunphy

• Simon Pilkington

• Nicole Dressen

• Zoe Kelly

• Sinead Walsh

• Rónan Nolan

• Alexander Olive

• clare butler

• Michael Jonker

• Margo Linehan

• Thomas Caton

• owen mcgee

• Declan Doherty

• Bridget Purcell

• Elizabeth McCallum

• Anne Kelly-McCormack

• Ivan James

• Derek Moran

• Sanne de Boer

• Martin de Boer

• Luke Dineen

• Aaron Mac Fhionnlaoich

• Saoirse Cooley

• John Patrick buckley.

• Tanya Branagan

• MartijnLleenheer

• David O' Dwyer

• Rachel Rock

• Patricia Golden

• Louise Walshe

• Christopher Jeffery

• Anita O'Hara

• Jacqueline Russell

• Ronan Flynn

• Tim Hunter

• Éidín Ní Shé

• Mark Cashman

• Jason Hunter

• Kevin Flanagan

• Eilis McDonald

• Lola Hynes

• Shelly Coen

• clare madden

• Dermot Ryab

• Bronagh McErlean

• Diana Seifert

• Sharon Daly

• Tracy Lynch

• VCDaly

• Éadaoin Nig Shamhráin

• Siobhain O' Doherty

• Helen Duignan

• david thomas

• Kerry McKerchar

• Leon Donnellan

• Diarmuid Russell

• Emma Flynn

• Roisin Leadbetter

• Myriam Hooper

• Shane Gallagher

• Anne Sweeney

• Frank Murphy

• I L Harris

• Susan Adair Farrelly

• Janet O'Neill

• Conor Malone

• Rose Butler

• Bert McCann

• Robert Bonham

• Mike Casey

• Liz Fitzgerald

• Edward Brennan

• Donal O Bearra

• Claire McGettrick

• Sean Galligan

• Tadhg O' Connor

• Ben Cowley

• Aoife Brennan

• Laragh McManus

• Kevin Brennan

• Darren Byrne

• Joseph Plowman

• Seamus Duggan

• Gordon Duffy

• Peter Crooks

• Brendan McSherry

• David Taylor

• John Coleman

• Charles O'Brien

• Sam Boland

• James Edwards

• Elaine Peppard

• aoife fitzsimons

• Dan Jacobs

• Oly Leung

• yvonne remond

• Constance Ryan

• Conor Broderick

• bernie gildea

• Aisling Connollly

• Natasha

• Mai Dao

• Christy J Walters

• liz gill

• Luke Byrne

• Wendy Boyle

• Deirdre Barrett

• Carla Bannon

• Louise O Riordan

• Stephanie Martin

• Noel McCarron

• Julie

• Cam Branson

• Sinead Quinn

• Andrea Carroll

• Rachael Collins

• Colin Miley

• Suheima Mahomed

• James Scully-Lane

• Helen Falvey

• Billy O'Shea

• lorraine callery

• Niall Reenan

• tracey maguire

• Rory O'Reilly

• Richard Sweeney

• David O'Driscoll

• John Paul Jordan

• Yvonne O'Reilly

• John Akamnonu

• Niall Brosnan

• Emma Sides

• Eilis Fox

• RIchard Malone

• Mairead Stratford

• Kieran Foley

• Marcas O'Duinn

• Una Prendergast

• Lee McKeown

• Robert D'Arcy

• catherine brugman

• Mark Brabazon

• Adrian Ryan

• Anna Maria ODonoghue

• Anna-Lena Dube Fuller

• Rachel Walsh

• jacqueline o' neill

• Catherine Yule

• Josep O'Regan

• Susan Kenny

• elaine crowe

• ian flynn

• Shane O' Connor

• Orla Daly

• Brian Rogan

• Fintan Hughes

• Alli Annesley

• Francis Barrett

• Richard Falcon

• bryan sheehan

• Sabina Brennan

• Niall Culligan

• Tim O'Mahony

• Frances Kenny

• Patrick Gormley

• Conor O'Driscoll

• Angela Langley

• Eoin O Connor

• James Behan

• Claire Harrington

• Dervil Cody

• Mark Feeney

• Elizabeth Nestor

• aidan fitzsimons

• Eimear Blunnie

• David Wroe

• PJ TOOMEY

• Sarah Lahert

• Ronan Morris

• Elena Castro

• Barry Creamer

• Maria Hanna

• Diarmuid O'Flynn

• jennifer grey

• kevin grey

• Sarah Mc Nicholas

• Glenn Gregory

• Jackie Hogan

• j fulham

• Lorraine Byrne

• aimee o'connor

• Sonia O'Connor

• Vivienne Trulock

• Stephen OReilly

• Viv O Connor

• Michael McNamara

• Inga

• Sara McNally

• sue mcdermott

• Elaine Gardner

• Michael Megrelis

• Kevin Bushe

• Michelle Grant

• thierry mulliez

• Anna-Lena Dube Fuller

• Aimee O'Connor

• David Mc Elligott

• Conor McHugh

• Sasha Musgrave Travers

• Linda Maher

• Ronan Harris

• Fiachra Weiner

• Stephen Breslin

• Teresa O'Rourke

• Ralph Hurley O'Dwyer

• Séasán Ó Riabhaigh