You’ve gone from breezily saying how great GS are because they keep the riff raff out here to finally googling their enrolment policies.
You still seem to not be able to understand them though.
It’s pretty simple. A non English speaking child can come to Ireland and go to a regular school from day one. That’s not the case with GS.
Whilst I appreciate the historical reasons why GS started in the likes of the GT, I don’t see any logic to why they exist in an environment where the general standard of Irish teaching is supposed to be high. The truth came out in your first post - the “riff raff”.
Yeah it’s pretty simple as far as I can see. Why given the shortage of teachers do we continue to foist this requirement on all? In particular, why do we do so when there is a sector exploding in popularity that caters for Irish language enthusiasts.
I haven’t followed this debate to be honest, that point you’re making there seems quite uncontroversial, the Irish language aspect and requirements are certainly offputting for some, it was partly the reason why I left it so late myself, I was never good at languages, doesn’t mean I couldn’t have been a very good teacher
I did Irish later in life as I was educated elsewhere for years.
I have already said I would be in favour of teaching though Irish/English in ALL schools. The standard is set for primary teachers.
What I am against is the pretty obvious cottage industries around the language that would crumble if it became widespread. Example is the compulsory Irish for the Leaving Cert outrage. Those with McMansions in the West wouldn’t be too happy if the Irish college kids stopped coming. Neither would the teachers who get grinds money from desperate parents.
I think the key point on the language in Ireland is that the Irish language movement have controlled the curriculum and classroom for 100 years.
You’re obsessed with my comment about riff raff and that’s fine, seems to have triggered an emotional response in you. However, you’ve made incorrect assertions and you can’t answer a simple question I’ve asked you repeatedly about this discrimination you claim.
On day 1 of that child you reference, they have the exact same right and opportunity as my child (non gaelige speaking, no familial priors) to accessing a GS. Where’s the discrimination?
I’m just glad our 2 are adults now and attended the local primary school and secondary schools like everyone else, from what I’ve read above having kids and schooling choice’s definitely falls under I don’t know how you do it etc etc
As a postscript to this, my older fella has been going on about Jesus in the evenings all week. “First he died but then he was alive again!” “He came back & scared his friends.” “Did you know about that Daddy?” These & other random comments & “facts” about the big man.
I said to my life partner it was a bit much to be filling their heads in junior infants with stuff about Jesus. We agreed pushing this religious angle was one of the reasons the Educate Together school was our first choice option & it was a pity we didn’t get in.
After another round of Jesus chat this evening, I asked him if Ms Phelan had been teaching the class all about Jesus. “No”, he says, “Dominic has been telling us stories about him.” Dominic is a little Polish chap in 1st or 2nd class and he’s in after school over the road with my lad. I sense Dominic probably has posters of John Paul II & Robert Lewandowski on his wall.
But this has made me reevaluate my original post above. Maybe Big Gaeilge isn’t so bad.
It’s the primary reason why you said they’re great. Who are you talking about?
Discrimination is not just about out and out Jim Crow laws. It’s pretty obvious what the higher language bar here does. Just as it is obvious that the Catholic requirement meant a lot of non national children ended up in Educate Together schools. Exclusionary practices are allowed in admissions for schools - the question is whether they are balanced.
Eh my issue is we were unsuccessful in our attempts to get into the ET school. We’re in the local school where the bishop or parish priest usually heads the board of management. It’s an absolute minefield though & secondary school will be even harder to navigate, especially when you have these informal, masonic like, secret Big Gaeilge networks influencing public policy (cc @Juhniallio pinting today) . They’ve a vice grip(t) on Irish society.
