zippy
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2009
- Messages
- 210
Most of the schools are in practice in control of Boards of Management and the principle / teachers. Even if the cleregy wanted to lay down the law hard and fast they may not be able to do so as the impasse in recent years over schools closing for church holidays illustrates. The clergy wanted the schools to close as they traditionally have but teachers and teachers unions and some parents in a few schools in Dublin objected and refused to close the schools. The schools did not close and now a good number of the schools do not close at all.
The church still has an inordinate amount of control in education in both the north and the south. I seen something on RTE recently stating that 90% of schools have church input. 100% of schools in the North have church involvement.
Whether we like it or not, the UK and ireland are changing, becoming much more eclectic, cosmopolitan and pluralist in nature. It is high time that society becomes completely secular - like France has done. The seperation of church from state is long overdue and certainly the abuse scandal in ROI would have resulted in jail term for the bishops if they did not have the power that is inherent.
not trying to cause offence here - only an opinion