Student allowed to opt out of religion as parents backed
PARENTS have a right to take their children out of religious education if they wish, according to Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan.
Her comments come as a Limerick secondary school has agreed to allow a first year student to opt out of the religious education course – but she must stay in the class while the subject is being taught.
Ms O’Sullivan weighed in on the debate yesterday before it emerged that the board of management of Castletroy College in Limerick did a U-turn on a decision to not let a student opt out of studying religion.
A request from the student’s father, Paul Drury, was rejected last week by of Castletroy College.
But in a brief statement issued after a meeting last night, the school said it had changed its mind and Mr Drury had been informed of the board’s decision.
The statement read: ‘Mr Drury requested that his daughter be allowed to opt out of the Religious Education course. Following discussion at a regular Board of Management meeting this evening this request was agreed with immediate effect. Mr Drury has been informed of this decision,’ it concluded.
The school explained afterwards that the student will have to remain in the classroom while the subject is being taught but will but will not have to participate. Mr Drury has welcomed the decision but did not wish to comment further.
Minister O’Sullivan had backed Mr Drury’s right to take his child out of religious eduction, which he had highlighted on RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland. She said: ‘In general, there is the right of parents to take their children out of religious education, and if there is any more clarity needed then (the Department of Education) would be happy to give it. Certainly, I would be confident that there are clear guidelines with regard to these issues.’
Asked what her advice would be to parents, the minister said: ‘I hope parents do know their rights, and they should approach the school if they wish to have their child exempt from religion. Normally that is done first through the principal, and if necessary through the board of management.’
The minister added: ‘I do believe that it is the right of a parent – they are the primary educators of their children – so it is their right to decide whether or not the child attends religious education.’
Mr Drury, who is from the UK, told Morning Ireland that neither he nor his daughter were religious and that his daughter did not want to study the subject.
Speaking yesterday Ms O’Sullivan said she hoped the issue would be ‘dealt with’ at a meeting of the School’s Board of Management last night. Don Myers of the National Parents Council Post Primary said: ‘Parents should have a choice and a right, and they do have a choice and a right. I’m surprised this has been made into such a big issue.’
The law states that schools cannot require a student to participate in a subject that goes against their or their parents’ beliefs. The Constitution also gives parents the right to withdraw their children from religious instruction.
Castletroy College is Limerick city’s newest school having opened 15 years ago and has more than 1,000 students.
The school is run by the local
‘This request was agreed’ Local bishop is joint patron
Education and Training Board (ETB) – formerly the VEC – and the local Catholic bishop is a joint patron.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment says Religious Education for the Junior Certificate allows pupils to ‘explore how many religions, particularly Christian religions, have shaped the Ireland you live in today’.
All ETB schools are obliged to teach religion. This was a stipulation that the Catholic Church made to the State during the development of the then-VEC school system. ETB schools can opt to teach religion as an exam subject if they wish.