Educate Together is ‘an innovator’

Victoria White’s article (Opinion, Apr 4), advocating the growth of the VEC sector in primary education makes the assertion that a change of patronage from Catholic to Educate Together is ‘more of the same’.

It also asserts that Educate Together is ‘an ideological organisation which will never come close to pleasing parents of a different ideology’. Wrong on both counts.

Educate Together is an innovator in Irish education that is supported by politicians of all parties and thousands of parents all holding widely differing political, religious and ideological beliefs.

Over the past 35 years it has pioneered an approach to education that delivers equality of esteem to children, irrespective of their social cultural or religious backgrounds.

The approach of providing an educational environment of equality, teaching children to understand, appreciate, respect and learn with others of differing backgrounds and faiths in an atmosphere of friendship and equality is not ideologically specific or “more of the same”. It prepares children for life in our globalised, diverse and exciting world and it has attracted some of the most able, qualified and dedicated teachers in Ireland.

The fact that 25 of 43 communities want Educate Together schools and two want VEC Community National Schools tells its own tale.

Victoria’s proposal that a state model be imposed would be a regressive step, hardly the act of a democratic state.

Paul Rowe

CEO Educate Together

Hogan Place

Dublin 2