Traveller mother takes school-admission appeal to High Court

The mother of a boy who was blocked from attending a Co Tipperary school will take her appeal to the High Court today.

Mary Stokes, a member of the travelling community, is challenging the successful appeal by CBS High School in Clonmel against an Equality Tribunal decision which found that it had indirectly discriminated against her son John.

John Stokes, through his mother Mary, lodged a complaint against the school on the grounds that it had breached the Equal Status Act when it refused him admission in 2010.

The school says he failed to meet the criteria required to be awarded a place.

Mary Stokes unsuccessfully appealed the decision to the Department of Education, but in December 2010 the Equality Tribunal found in favour of John.

It ordered the school to admit him and review its admission policy to ensure that it did not indirectly discriminate against any child.

However in July this year, Clonmel Circuit Court allowed the appeal by CBS High School against the decision of the Equality Tribunal.

Mary Stokes will take her appeal of this decision to the High Court this morning.