Catholic control of schooling untenable -- Diarmaid Martin

[ChristianDemocrat]

Am I? I've already implicitly acknowledged (by quoting both Archbishop Martin and Bishop Leo O'Reilly approvingly) that the system needs to change. No-one of whom I am aware is advocating holding on to the status quo. There are, very clearly, far too many Catholic schools at primary level.

So no-one wants to hold on to the system currently in place; certainly not the Catholic Church. The question is whether we want diversity in education, which respects parental choice, or a one-size-fits-all, wholly State-run, as well as State-funded system.

Last time anyone checked, there was a Parents demand right to pick schools for children - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie majority in favour of the principle of parental choice, meaning the right of parents to choose the type of school they want for their children, not just the type religious education they want them to receive inside that school.

[Toland]

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[iartaoiseach]

Catholic control of schooling not tenable, says archbishop - The Irish Times - Wed, Jun 17, 2009

He reckons Catholic control of 92% of schools in the republic where only 87% of the people are catholic is untenable. Well done Diarmuid!

However, he's using census figures (which are badly skewed, out of date and irrelevant anyway)

Perhaps he'd have got closer to the scale of the problem if he had said that Catholic control of 92% of schools in the republic is untenable where more than 50% of the people would prefer to have a non-denominational system.

what amazes me is how this decent guy is not disillusioned with his vocation. He consistently apologises for the behaviour of his organisation, the church doesn't deserve him. If ever there was an example of misguided loyalty and faith this is it.

[Glennshane]

You just did. You objected to my hypothetical employment as a teacher.

Can you withdraw your objection please?

Certianly not. No way should an anti-Catholic be allowed to have power over defenceless Catholic children.

[Glennshane]

[QUOTE=Captain Con O'Sullivan;1789411][quote=Glennshane;1789387]

"Nor do I give a flying f*ck for its tame little mentalists."

I Do.

"The catholic church is not in a position to gather up its skirts and screech its a private organisation"

Yes, it is.

"and I couldn't give a sh*t how it organises itself."

No need to be vulgar.

"It isn't up to the catholic church to decide whether there should be integration or not."

It is up to the Catholic people - and also to the Protestant people. And as the Churches own many of the schools, they will also have a large influence on the decision.

"We're not talking about a menu of pleasant choices here, for an organisation which shelters sadists and paedophiles on the one hand"

The Catholic people will decide that.

"and then expects sole access to the nation's children at school."

Catholic parents will decide that - not anti-Catholic posters on a website.

"And the Archbishop, his boss in Rome and all the other twisted medievalists who surround them can go and f*ck themselves."

Once again you resort to vulgarity. A sure sign of a defeated argument.