The Minister for Education has dismissed a claim that state-run second level schools in Tipperary have a Catholic ethos.
Richard Bruton said this was not the case, saying the multi-denominational status of all ETB schools was “very clear”.
The Minister was responding to comments made by the Head of Tipperary Education and Training Board
In 2015, Fionuala McGeever told local ETB school principals that “the Christian belief, ethos, and spirit of our schools is Catholic and this needs to be addressed in all policies”.
Speaking just over a week ago, Ms McGeever stood over her claim and reiterated that the schools were Catholic.
Asked about conditions applied by some state-run schools to students who wish to opt-out of religion classes, Mr Bruton said his department would shortly be issuing clear guidelines for schools and said they will not be permitting those impositions.
Ms McGeever’s comments were revealed in documents received by Atheist Ireland under Freedom of Information legislation.
Those documents also included an ‘opting-out’ policy for some Tipperary ETB schools that had been revised following recommendations from the local Catholic church.
The policy requires students who opt-out to remain in the classroom. It explicitly states that they are not allowed to wear earphones. They are not allowed to study any of their other subjects. The only alternative is for parents to come and sign-out the child prior to the religion class and sign-in afterwards.
