Teach Don’t Preach: Campaign for a Secular Education System
Atheist Ireland is campaigning for a secular education system based on international human rights law and in keeping with the Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religion and Beliefs in Public Schools. Parents have a right to not have their children indoctrinated at school with religious beliefs contrary to those of their parents. In Ireland, in practical terms, most atheist/secular parents and many belonging to minority religions are denied this right.
The vast majority of the approximately 3,300 primary schools in the Republic of Ireland are church run, over 90% by the Catholic church. The Irish State ‘provides for’ education and nearly all schools are publicly funded but essentially private. The Irish Catholic Bishops say that “Catholic schools seek to reflect a distinctive vision of life and a corresponding philosophy of education, based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Atheist Ireland believes that a secular education system is essential to the building of an ethical and secular society. One of the most powerful ways in which religion maintains its hold on society is by teaching children fantastic tales as truth when they are at an intellectually formative age.
In July 2014 the UN Human Rights Committee asked the Irish delegation about the human rights of atheist/secular parents in the education system. You can read about that here.
You can also find out how to opt out your child from religion in schools with sample letters for primary and second level here.