Teachers strike for places on board
The 12 teaching staff at the school, catering for young offenders and children sent there by the courts, are seeking representation on the board of management. The 13-member board includes representatives of the ministers for education, health and justice, but has only two staff representatives, neither of whom are teachers.
Tony Kearins, the staff’s union representative, said teachers need to be represented on the board, particularly when it comes to deciding on issues of policy and procedures.
“These boys have various behavioural and social problems, but our aim is to give them a proper education they might not otherwise get a chance at having. It’s difficult to motivate them sometimes, but they all want to do well educationally, and we want to protect their educational rights.”
There are 32 residents at the school, aged between 10 and 16, but it has capacity for 40 boys.
Unlike other detention schools, such as Trinity House and Oberstown in Dublin, St Joseph’s is an open centre for youngsters who have not committed very serious crimes.
Other children living at St Joseph’s, some for up to three years, have been referred there by health boards because of difficulties in the home.
The teachers took their one-day industrial action in response to the ongoing failure of negotiations with the Departments of Education and Health on the issue.
General secretary of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, John Carr, said there should be a teacher on the board, just like in every other school in the country.
The union had sought to have one teacher given observer status on the board as an interim measure, but officials rejected this last week.
The 90-strong staff is currently represented by a member of the care staff and another non-teaching worker at the school.
The INTO said it will escalate the industrial action very soon if there is no sign of a resolution to the dispute over teacher representation.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
