Teachers attack student deportations

THE Teachers’ Union of Ireland has condemned the recent deportations of non-national students, especially their forced removal from schools.

The TUI yesterday unanimously passed an emergency motion which criticised the action of gardaí in entering classrooms in order to deport immigrant students.

Dublin delegate Michael Carr said in addition to the recent case involving Nigerian student, Olukunle Elukanlo, gardaí had also recently swooped on a primary school in Co Kerry to remove two young Nigerians aged three and seven.

“There is an environment of fear among pupils who are awaiting decisions on their refugee status,” he told the annual TUI conference in Dublin.

Mr Carr said the sanctity of classrooms was being violated by such behaviour which also had an adverse effect on the performance of other students. He praised the unselfish attitude demonstrated by Olukunle’s classmates for bringing their protest to the Dáil.

TUI president Paddy Healy described the teachers at Palmerstown Community School as a credit to the profession for their role in supporting his return from Nigeria.

Another delegate, Martin Hanrahan, said garda action failed to respect human rights and the dignity of students.

Meanwhile, the TUI congress also condemned the refusal by the French Embassy in Dublin to grant short-term holiday visas to four students due to go on a trip to Paris next Monday.

The four African women, who are all studying international business at Pearse College in Crumlin, are set to lose more than half of the €300 they have spent on the five-day tour as a result of the embassy’s decision.

The women who are all have residency status and Irish-born children complained they were given no reason for the refusal.

“We feel very hurt. It is a most saddening decision,” said Nike Durojaiye from Nigeria who took part in a similar trip to Germany year without any problem.

An appeal by the principal of Pearse College, Marie Oxx to the French ambassador was also rejected.

The French embassy in Dublin refused to comment on the case.

“I have no explanation whatsoever to make on this issue,” said a spokesperson.

During yesterday’s session of congress, the TUI president also called on Kilkenny VEC to enter talks with the union in a bid to avoid industrial action at a local school over threats to the health and safety of staff.

TUI members at Kilkenny City Vocational School are due to stage a one-day strike on April 7 in protest at a series of violent incidents by students against teachers.

“We can’t tolerate this immediate and present danger to the health and safety of teachers and pupils,” said Mr Healy.

The TUI congress also expressed serious concern about under-resourcing of physical education.

“Every school should have its own sports hall and dedicated PE teacher as a minimum especially when the Government is concerned about growing levels of obesity among students,” said one delegate.