Fears for progress on Educate Together school in Westport

THE regional development officer for Educate Together, Jennifer Buttner, has today expressed concern for the divestment process Educate Together school opening in Westport.

This is on foot of a recent decision in Killarney where the Diocese of Kerry has agreed to transfer patronage of a national school directly to the local Education and Training Board without consultation with Educate Together or other patrons and with limited consultation with local parents. The ETB-run model is that of the Community National School which, although styling itself as ‘multi-denominational’, continues to carry out faith formation within school hours and is the model favoured most highly by the Catholic Church.

Like Westport, Killarney parents chose Educate Together as their favoured school patron in a government-run survey back in 2013. The news from Killarney has caused much concern amongst Westport parents that a similar situation may occur in their town and their hopes of an equality-based school will be dashed.

Said Ms. Buttner: “I know that parents in Westport will be deeply anxious that the Killarney situation will be replicated in their town but I would like to reassure them that Educate Together will do all it can to prevent this happening.”

Said Linda McNulty, spokesperson of the Westport Educate Together Campaign Group: “As a concerned parent I am appalled at the lack of choice for parents regarding their childrens education in Westport. It is time for the government to follow through on its promise of an Educate Together school.”

Families interested in joining the campaign for an Educate Together school in Westport should contact newschools@educatetogether.ie, visit www.educatetogether.ie or follow the campaign's Facebook page - Educate Together Westport.

 

Jennifer Buttner, Regional Development Officer for Educate Together.