Pupils refused entry to school to appeal decision

THE families of four sixth class pupils refused entry to a second-level school – just over the fence from their primary school – have appealed to have the decisions overturned.

They are pupils at Scoil Chill Ruadháin in Brooklodge, Glanmire, situated next to Glanmire Community College (GCC), which has places for just 165 first year students next autumn.

But at least three of the four feel they have been discriminated against by GCC’s enrolment policy which gives favour to the eldest child in a family over those who have an older pupil attending a different school.

Anne Murphy lives a three-minute drive from the primary school and the community college where her son Sam has been refused enrolment.

“We decided to send his older sister to St Aloysious College, an all-girls school in Carrigtwohill, and that means he is pushed down the order for enrolment at GCC,” she said.

She and the parents of three other Brooklodge pupils have appealed the decision to refuse enrolment to County Cork Vocational Education Committee (VEC), which manages GCC.

“He has effectively been turned down because his sister went to a different second-level school, but every parent and every child should have the choice of going to a single-sex or a mixed school without affecting the rights of their brothers or sisters,” she said.

The mother of another boy complained that his older brother went to Mayfield Community School five years ago because the family were living in that area at the time, but he is pushed down the list as a result.

“We’ve only told him he’s on a waiting list but we can’t tell him he might not get in, he’d be too upset. They’re preparing for their Confirmation at the moment and all his friends are talking about is going to the community college,” said one mother who did not want to be named.

Another parent, Rosaleen O’Riordan, whose son James has also been refused, felt he was discriminated against by the fact that his older sister is a pupil at an all-girls secondary school.

“The whole set-up feels very wrong – do they not realise what they are putting the children through?” she asked.

GCC board chairman Gerry Kelly said the matter was likely to be discussed at a board meeting tonight but the problems reflect those in many areas with a growing population.

“The school has followed its enrolment policy strictly and there is no attempt to discriminate against anybody, the board has always done what they feel to be in the interest of the community. Maybe there is a need to review the enrolment policy but the issue will probably be discussed at our board meeting,” he said.

In a letter to Co Cork VEC, Scoil Chill Ruadháin principal Eoghan O’Connor said his school’s board is at a loss to understand the exclusion of four of its pupils.