Courtney McGrail
“We cannot allow elitism, snobbery and prejudice to drown out the voice of the vulnerable”, writes Michele Corkey
Michele Corkey
The central purpose of the Catholic Principals’ Association (CPA) is to continue to work together to create a system of education that effectively meets the needs of all of our children: a system without selection at 11. We are certainly making a difference as we support our bishops in their mission to create a more just education system for our young people.
We have been very clear in our support of the bishops’ position and when the Northern bishops agreed to meet us this year, we were enthusiastic about the opportunity.
We presented on the mission and core purpose of our organisation and announced once again our support for their declaration to move away from a selective education system. We wanted to articulate:
- the desire of the CPA to support the bishops in the creation of an education system which provides equality and dignity for all and addresses social inequality and division;
- the disappointment being felt by so many principals and governors who openly supported the bishops’ directive to disengage with academic selection and who now find themselves left in the wilderness of apathy and disillusionment;
- the anger felt by professionals in Catholic education that the segregation of our young along social lines continues to be tolerated;
- the deep distress of parents and their children who had placed so much hope in our bishops to support and direct the much needed change in our education system and render it fit for purpose.
Requests
At the meeting in June, we placed before the bishops a number of requests, namely including that the Northern bishops would:
- actively and openly support the work of our association in their respective parishes and dioceses;
- address a pastoral letter from the bishops to all Catholic teachers, parents and children and to all those in the wider Catholic community regarding academic selection and the future direction of Catholic education.
We feel that a pastoral letter is necessary because there is great fear that our family of Catholic schools is under threat as a result of the division caused by academic selection.
Additionally, there are other threats as evidenced by the integrated movement being continually promoted by politicians and the media.
In recent weeks, there have been many articles and statements from prominent politicians both here and in the USA which attack the ethos and core values of our schools. Regretfully, these were left unchallenged.
We need our bishops to reference the important role our Catholic schools play in providing high quality education for our young people.
The CPA firmly believes that we are living out the promises of our Church and our bishops as we work towards the creation of an education system which is visionary, fit for purpose and without intellectual and social discrimination.
As principals of Catholic schools, we speak for those who are unable to articulate the desire for equality of opportunity for their children.
We cannot allow elitism, snobbery and prejudice to drown out the voice of the vulnerable.
At our meeting with the bishops, we were there to respectfully reflect the feelings of our members, parents and children.
We explained the feelings and perceptions of the many principals, staff and parents regarding the silence and apparent disengagement of the bishops from the debate on the abolition of academic selection.
The work of this organisation in opposing selection is so vitally important. Selecting at 11 is morally wrong for the following reasons:
- the stress and anxiety it causes;
- to select pupils at 11 does not allow all pupils to grow and mature at their own pace;
- intelligence is not fixed – testing at 10 does not and should not label a child a failure or a success, stupid or intelligent;
- children should be educated together, without stigma or segregation;
- our young people should all be educated together in one school following courses designed to meet their needs;
- testing at ages 10 or 11 is divisive of schools, parents, pupils and resources. Our system should enable children to know their dignity and worth before they can define either. However, our present system is characterised by early selection, rejection and division at age 10 or 11 into perceived losers and winners. This is followed by placement in post-primary schools defined by inadequate understanding of human intelligences and aptitudes.
- The whole practice is corrosive of a child’s dignity and worth.
Commitment
As an organisation our commitment is clear – we are committed to promoting quality education for all, and an education system that supports the establishment of all-ability schools as outlined by our bishops.
As a family of Catholic schools, we must continue to work together to create a system of education that effectively meets the needs of all of our children. Preserving the status quo is not an option.
At a time when integrated education is being championed as the way forward, we must remember that our family of schools offers students a positive experience which focuses on developing their abilities and makes a contribution to multicultural awareness.
We can never have any doubt of the quality of our education and must work together to create a just and fair system that allows every child to succeed.
Michele Corkey is outgoing chairperson of the Northern Ireland Catholic Principals’ Association. This is an abridged version of her speech to the annual general meeting.
