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Post by hibernicus on Jun 13, 2017 20:18:18 GMT
I don't want to suggest that schools should be used for political indoctrination of any kind, but this piece about the effect of spreading left-wing views among teachers and the ways in which teaching practices aimed at undermining social and political conservatism have had effects on Britain whose full extent is only now becoming apparent has definite parallels with the ways in which Irish schools have been secularised. www.conservativewoman.co.uk/chris-mcgovern-corbyns-surge-roots-classroom/
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Post by hibernicus on Feb 6, 2021 22:32:02 GMT
I distrust the Burkean on matters Catholic because it has a tendency to reproduce late C19 and early C20 commentators without appraising them critically, but this article, while showing some signs of this problem, really bells the cat on the central issue - that many/most Irish Catholic schools have lost any sense of how and why they should be Catholic. The examples cited (students being forbidden to wear pro-life emblems in school on the grounds that these are political; anti-Catholic speakers being invited on the grounds that it is necessary to expose students to different views, while this never extends to bringing in orthodox Catholic speakers) speak for themselves. I think, though, that the references to masonic indifferentism, as if all our ills do stem from Molesworth Street, and the implication that schools should try to make their students nationalists rather than patriots, are not very helpful because they exclude in advance the possibility that internal flaws helped to destroy so grievously what seemed so strong. That being said, the present necessity is to bell the cat and in this the Burkean article can be of great help. So many of the Irish Church's present problems stem from the higher-ups refsing to see what is happening in front of them, refusing to consider the possibility that anything might have gone wrong or the present state of affairs might not be inevitable, and silencing anyone who disagrees. The citation of St John Henry Newman in support of forms of education which would have given him the screaming horrors merely adds insult to injury. www.theburkean.ie/ireland/2021/02/04/a-catholic-education-scattered-to-the-four-winds
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Post by hibernicus on Nov 5, 2021 22:02:14 GMT
Here's a good discussion of how the "comparative religion" approach to RE, which is increasingly dominant in our schools and has prevailed in British schools much longer, undermines faith formation by failing to convey what ANY faith tradition looks like from inside and implicitly presenting all religions as "funny things unenlightened people do". We had our neighbours' experience to learn from, and we didn't... thecritic.co.uk/the-elephant-in-the-classroom/
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Post by Alaisdir Ua Séaghdha on Sept 14, 2022 11:34:06 GMT
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Post by Young Ireland on Oct 18, 2022 20:02:09 GMT
I've noticed that Catholic classical schools have been set up in Cork and in Limerick. This is a very positive development in those cities, but it's suprising that Dublin hasn't been able to get one off the ground yet, seeming as it has a much greater critical mass of practicing Catholics than Cork and Limerick combined.
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Post by Beinidict Ó Niaidh on Oct 20, 2022 9:01:23 GMT
So far attempts to set up schools by dedicated Catholics have been failures. I think there are many reasons for this. Egomania is one. Constructing a united front on the TLM was very difficult. To put a school together is more difficult. I think there might be consensus on religious education. I'm pretty sure there would not be on RSE - there might be unanimity on what the Dept of Education and/or HSE are imposing, but there would be all sorts of views on what to put in its place from absolutely none to a mild version adding a moral dimension to whatever is in the science curriculum.
In regard to general or specialised subjects, a lot falls on the ability or aptitude of the child. Some are more academically gifted and some are more technically gifted and it's necessary to embrace everything. It's not right to allow the child choose what they please - this would not be a general education. In Ireland, the core subjects are English, Irish and Maths (and there is much room to do better in Irish in particular). There should also be accommodation for history, geography, science and at least one language. Beyond that, there is plenty of room for choice. I would hope that a classical Catholic school should at least have room for Latin. Greek might be a bit ambitious. Latin is very valuable for English, other languages (not enough is made of its influence on Irish and German; it's obvious in the case of the Romance languages) and a lot of mathematical subjects (think of the way the grammar works). The arts should have some space - again, people fail to appreciate the connection between music and maths/physics (Pythagoras got this). Think about: you're dealing with sound, measurements, patterns, and regularity in music and this compliments maths. I think the emphasis on business is overrated - a good mathematical training prepares you to read and understand accounts and economics and organisation can be learned on the job. Practical subjects such as woodwork, metalwork and agricultural science have place too as options. I should not neglect physical education and sport, though I think sport is fetishised in some schools in a way that doesn't do the participants any good. But the average student who is never going to be capped in soccer or rugby or play for his/her county in Gaelic games needs some exercise - and I think a lot of academically orientated parents who think in terms of homeschooling miss this. And there is a point to extra curricular activites, whether they are more cerebral like chess or debating or more relaxing, as it encourages the development of team working (which is probably lacking among a lot of our people). And personally I believe every boy would benefit from lessons in how to cook and otherwise look after himself domestically, so when I mention home economics, I am not just talking about girls.
There is a lot to education. And there is another thing about starting a school. It's expensive.
But anyway, if a school is Catholic, especially if run by lay people, it should have some programme of promoting vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. Kids don't need to go to Mass every school day, but prayer has to have a place.
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