Principal forced to reverse Covid closure asks: 'How autonomous are school boards?'

Claremorris Boys National School. The principal, Mark Loftus, was directed by the department to reverse his decision to close the school until January after 16 pupils tested positive.

The principal of a primary school in Claremorris, who was directed by the Department of Education to reverse his decision to close the school until January, has questioned the autonomy of the boards of management in schools to make decisions for community good.

Mark Loftus, who is working remotely as five children in his class had tested positive for Covid-19, told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show that the decision he had made had been the right one for the good of the school community and the wider community.

But the board of management of the school had to report the situation to the Minister of Education. The majority of members of the board were not involved in education, they were volunteers, but they still ended up being legally responsible for the school.

Mr Loftus said that while the right to life and the right to education were important, so too was the right to feel safe in school.

We want to minimise the crisis in our school and in our wider community. 

Mr Loftus said that seven children had turned up at school this morning across a variety of age groups. “I tried very hard to secure sufficient staff,” he said. 

Two other teachers were also isolating as pupils in their classes had tested positive.

In the past two to three weeks 16 pupils from the school had tested positive with more awaiting results. The rate of Covid-19 in Claremorris is three-and-a-half times that of the national average, he added.

“There is an obvious problem,” which was why he had taken the decision last week to close the school until after Christmas. 

“It was for the common good,” he said.

If there was an emergency situation where there was no heat or power in the school, then the board of management would have the authority to make a decision to close, said Mr Loftus. This situation highlighted the autonomy that boards of management have, he said.

The principal expressed his thanks to the parents of pupils and the town of Claremorris and the expressions of support received from all over the country.

“The system needs to be reformed,” he urged.