Catholic Ed. chief defends ‘inclusive and diverse’ schools

Schools are places of ‘security and shelter’

A senior Church official has hit out at critics of Catholic schools, dismissing their arguments as “inaccurate, unworthy and misleading”.

Fr Tom Deenihan challenged “a presumed notion” that Catholic schools “are not inclusive, not wanted by parents and are grim places of forced indoctrination”.

The head of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association (CPSMA) warned “a narrative could unintentionally be created that Catholic schools do not cater for diversity, are not reflective of parental choice” but that “is simply not true”.

“Students of various nationalities and from different faith backgrounds are being taught together in Catholic schools which is a good thing. Catholic schools are both diverse and inclusive of others,” he told The Irish Catholic.

Speaking at the CPSMA’s Annual General Meeting, Fr Deenihan insisted Catholic schools “provide an education to the children that they are privileged to have entrusted to their care”.

“They prepare their students for their life in this world and for the life to come. Very often, because of the complexities of modern living, and not least because of poverty, Catholic schools provide a place of shelter, stability and security for the children who attend them,” he said.

Launch

Fr Deenihan’s comments come after the launch of new guidelines by the Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) which will assist Catholic primary schools in their inclusion of non-Catholic pupils.

Speaking at the launch, CSP head Fr Michael Drumm insisted Catholic schools “have adapted to demographic change with significant net migration into Ireland”, adding that “many of them have led the way in integrating migrants into local communities”.

“They have been leaders in areas such as social inclusion, special needs and traveller education,” he said.

Fr Deenihan, however, warned that “inclusion doesn’t mean reducing schools to a generic, one-size-fits-all model”.

“Catholic schools can remain Catholic while inclusive of all other faiths. Catholic primary schools in this country, as in every other, provide a valuable service to society as a whole,” he said.