What on earth was that about…
Paul Butler believes that some figures in the mainstream media have been agitating to get rid of Catriona Ruane as Education minister. Well certainly Alex Kane did not pull any punches in the Newsletter this week:
How thoroughly, fundamentally, demonstrably and serially incompetent must a Minister be before Executive colleagues, departmental committee members and MLAs collectively, round upon them and hound them from office? I only ask, because Caitriona Ruane—whose level of ineptitude appears to be incalculable—remains in a job at which she has proved herself utterly unsuitable. And it’s not just the fact that the scale of her uselessness is of epic proportions; it’s also the fact that every question or criticism is greeted with an arrogant disdain or a patronising putdown.
At the same time Kane is hardly a mainstream media figure. At the news, as opposed to the comment end of the industry, the party put on an extremely bizarre show at Stormont today when it called a number very senior members of the local press corps to tell them, well, that she had finally finished her consultation and would be announcing it on the 15th. The irritation and bemusement was obvious amongst some.
What does not seem to have dawned on the Minister or her party is that its credibility on this issue is diminishing week by week. Last Thursday John O’Dowd told The Politics Show that the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe had pulled the Catholic Grammar’s back into line and that the vast majority of Northern Ireland schools would back the Minister’s proposals. The Minister herself was confident that the schools were behind her.
Then as Fair Deal reports today, 2/3 of school principals have no confidence in the Minister. Nearly half of Catholic school heads don’t either.
There is no doubt the minister has been under the cosh from the outset. But this is final proof that there is considerable unease within the system about the way she has handled her brief. Mr Butler’s defence, ie that “some of these want to protect the privileges they gained through the old system; and others are political opponents being entirely opportunistic. We want this process of change to be as smooth as possible but equally, we are prepared for a battle.”
Sinn Fein is right to look for fights. They are a political party with a point to prove to their own base. But let’s be clear. This is not a fight with the media. It is also with the very people who’s good will is crucial to carrying forward the reforms his party believe are so crucial for the future wellbeing of education in Northern Ireland.
Furthermore, it is not a fight they can convincingly win….
Driftwood,
Sorry, never was good at languages. I have a tendency to spell English as I say it.
I have never understood why English doesnt adopt a rationalised spelling system, but at the end of the day it is none of my business.
Cahal
If she wants to advance a fairer education system she is actually doing the opposite.
There are committed pro comprehensive people and committed pro grammar people but even among the reviled middle classes there are a lot of people in the middle who just want their kids educated, preferably reasonably locally, preferably without further cost to them or stress to their children.
They were there to be won over to a new non selective system, they were waiting to hear how it would work. But the minister has failed to even try to win them over, she has lectured and put down anyone who even dared to suggest that a little information might be a good thing. This has left a vacuum which has allowed fear of the unknown grow and this in turn has allowed the likes of AQE to appear reasonable and responsible and claim the moral high ground which could have been the minister’s had she bothered to claim it.
This is mot about her party, or her religion or her love of the Irish languge, it is about the fact that she has not done her job.
I’m no defender of Sinn Féin – I feel the party has badly let down the Irish language community – but I think that Caitriona Ruane has been singled out for attack by a bigoted band of bully boys whose misogyny is famed and borne out, for instance, by their greeting for the Womens’ Coalition members in the Assembly, when they ‘mooed’ in chorus. I view with cynicism the new found concern of Garibaldy and others for the real victims – ie the schoolchildren. These same children were suffering for years when they had to undergo an examination at 11 years of age – yet the suffering was allowed to continue…..and the middle classes, of whatever hue, were happy. Guess what, change is coming and coming soon to a school near you. Get used to it and stop using your own children as a pawn in a petty playground political game….
Describing anyone who opposes Ruane as anti-Catholic/Republican/Woman/Socialist/Southerner/Gaelic-speakers is just a kop out; a way of deflecting attention from the real issue here which is that, regardless of who or what she is, the thing she is not is fit-for-purpose.
[comment removed - mods]
And you wonder why she comes in for criticism?
it’s a pity some play power games on this issue. forget the sectarianism/sexism/racism and focus on the issue: is catriona competent at the job? resounding NO to that one; somebody mentioned earlier she is the greatest unifier of catholics and protestants since partition – now that’s incompetent; unfortunately she has also unilaterly set back significant and necessary education reform by managing to antagonise so many people. what a disaster.
Concubhar,
You mightn’t have been following the arguments on here on the other threads, but I’ve been arguing on here for a long time that Ruane’s reforms do not go far enough. We need a fully comprehensive – and integrated – system, both for the good of the children and for society as a whole. So my concern is not new found, nor is it rooted in a desire for petty political concerns, as you seem to think.
I am angry, and not just at Ruane. The 11+ was abolished in 2002. What has her party being doing about it since, knowing full well that they intended to take that portfolio? 6 years, and no planning. I don’t, and nor have I in my previous comments, blamed only Ruane. But there is no doubt that her attitude as exemplified by her performance in front of the Assembly Committee has made things worse.
Politics is a rough and tumble game. The Women’s Coalition should not have been mooed, but nor should they have been treated any differently than any other politicians. Their vacuousness is demonstrated by the fact they no longer exist. They were valid targets for criticism, and the minister – any minister – much more so.
There may well be misogny and sectarianism in the attitude to Ruane. But we haven’t seen it in the attitude to Ritchie. Nor have we seen it to Gildernew. I can only conclude therefore that it is the issue that is producing the sound and fury, but that Ruane’s personal attitude is not a help.
People of any political persuasion and none have every right to criticise elected parties or ministers, whom we have put there by free ballot and pay for through our taxes to do a good job, to keep us informed and behave in an acceptable manner. Ruane is an embarrassment to women in power, she is much worse than any woman even those in the womens’ coalition. Sometimes even her own department doesn’t know what she is doing. She makes a fool of herself in front of the press. As a woman and how to conduct herself in politics Brid Rogers ought to give her a few tips.
This isn’t an attack on her for being a woman or a southerner or anything else. It is a perfectly valid criticism of her role as education minister. It will be a further embarrassment if the DUP put and get a vote of no confidence in her. Better for the image of women in politics or even public life, and for her party to manage her departure from office in some other media friendly way.
For God sake Catriona – just go.
PRIONSA EOGHAN
Do you not believe that the Catholic church should have a say on, or exert influence over Catholic education?
I don’t think there should be “Catholic education” (or at least not state-funded public education), but – given that there is – and that, far more than “having a say or influencing”, the Church actually runs the schools – of course it should “have a say” or “exert influence”! What an absurd question.
WILLIS
It is the other way round – Sinn Fein policy is in line with church teaching, not just in NI either.
Really? I wonder why the RC grammars, then, haven’t been “in line” with Church teaching for these past centuries and decades? Or are you talking balls?
It is the executive which is in charge, not disparate ministers acting to their own narrow party political agenda.”
This is what Peter Robinson, Finance Minister and First Minister designate, told the QUB DUP Association last week. There, at last, a DUP minister who understands the democratic principle of collective cabinet responsibility yet he allows his party colleagues to undermine the Minister for Education which, logically, undermines the entire Executive.
Yet Debbie says: It will be a further embarrassment if the DUP put and get a vote of no confidence in her. Better for the image of women in politics or even public life, and for her party to manage her departure from office in some other media friendly way.
For God sake Catriona – just go.
If Caitriona goes, they all should go…
ggn,
How come she’s lost nearly 50% of Catholic Headteachers? Surely it’s not because of her Mayo accent? I’m serious. This sectarian argument just doesn’t square with the known facts.
The point Mick makes is a key one. And says a lot about the need for a shift of attitude within the major nationalist governing party. It is no longer credible to play the victim, to blame others, discrimination, sectarianism and all the rest for its own failings. To quote Uncle Ben, with great power comes great responsibility. And great criticism.
Concubhar this level of ineptitude has never been witnessed before imo. Take a look at this quote from todays Irish News.
link
Even the press are asking ‘why have you called us here minister? Like I said yesterday worser and worser…
If Caitriona goes, they all should go
The rest are fit for purpose.
Mick,
I didnt say she was doing a good job. But I believe this debate was personalised from the start.
‘a hatful cow’ is who she has been described here.
For me, Caitríona should have taken lessons from Ó Muilleoir, Maskey et. al. on how to deal with this kind of personalised pressure.
On the Catholic head teachers, well this is a propaganda battle above all else now. Some people will be influenced. Again, I am not saying this is being handled well.
But again, politics are at play here, for example how does the SDLP differ fundamentally from Sinn Féin’s on the issue?
But in unabased ‘whataboutery’, I think that we shall see worse when Sammy Wilson is in the job.
Christ never heard so much whining in all my life – the poor republican, socialist, catholic woman. Why can’t people just leave her alone eh? Maybe it’s because she’s a minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, presiding over one of the most important issues to come before it so far, and she hasn’t a clue what she’s doing. She should take a look at how Ritchie got on with things.
Gaelgannaire, are you suggesting Catholic head teacers aren’t smart enough to form opinions for themselves on the issue and are instead being ‘tricked’ by the devious media?
Yes, politics are at play here, real politics, the kind where you can’t just label anyone who disagrees with you as a bigot.
Judging by that Irish News report, “consultation” has replaced “clearly” as Ruane’s word of the week…
Lorraine: “The rest are fit for purpose. “
Even Poots?
gael: “‘a hatful cow’ is who she has been described here. “
I’ve called her worse and stand by it all. Her attitude stinks and she’s too f**king stupid to realise she can’t get away with showing complete contempt for her committee and the media and, by extension, the democratic(ish) nature of the system of government in which she works and, by further extension, the people she is supposed to serve (i.e. us).
God help her really, she hasn’t the wit to jump before she is pushed.
sad.
For a while I thought it was close between her and Poots as to who would be the first to go, I’m glad I didn’t stick any money on Edwin now…
It’s impossible to account for all actions by a Minister, Caitriona Ruane included, and to call a press conference to announce something already in the public domain, if this was the case, is a mistake. But it’s hardly the ‘walking the plank’ mistake.
And as for Mick’s assertion that she’s ‘lost 50% of Catholic head teachers’, I don’t know whether that’s the measure Caitriona Ruane should be judged against.
I get the feeling there’s a mob out for Caitriona Ruane and I have no problem defending her. She has to introduce change, maximum change, into an education system which was set in its ways for generations and which needed, for the sake of the North’s children, to change. There’s little wonder that Catholic Headteachers, one of the most conservative classes about, would be against that.
As for Debbie and her unfounded assertions, I don’t know whether her loathing of Caitriona Ruane is founded on any rationality. Anyone who thinks that the rest of the Executive is ‘fit for purpose’ is seriously deluded and has NO CREDIBILITY in this debate.
I have no doubt that Caitriona Ruane is making mistakes in her job – as are other ministers. She is being targeted, however, for special attention because of a number of other factors, not least of which is a pathological hatred of her among unionists going back to the time she was organising St Patrick’s Day events in the city centre, enormously successful St Patrick’s Day events at that, during her tenure as Féile an Phobail Director.
lamh dearg has a very fair point on this. I may be a hard line unionist who gained from a grammar school education. I am, however, no so stupid as to think the old system was perfect.
Whilst some degree of selection on ability is surely necessary be that within or between schools, the 11 plus failed many children. I can well remember very bright people failing it and equally people passing it who then struggled. I have seen the stress the system currently puts on children and the distortion of the primary curriculum. As someone who now has children I would not have been delighted to have my children face the 11 plus.
As such Ruane had an opportunity here to utterly wrong foot the DUP and UUP. Had she produced a sensible set of proposals helping both academically and non academically inclined children she would have been supported really very widely. The unionists might have come on board at the start. Alternatively they might very well have looked foolish and had to row in behind her later as they saw that middle class unionist parents supported much of what she had done.
However, she has done nothing apart from an entirely destructive act and has put nothing in its place. That is the real reason for her problems. She has then compounded this by her bullying and hectoring / preaching style, her behaviour to the committees and journalists and even apparently to delegations which meet her. She has turned what might have been a success for all the community or even for SF into a debacle for herself and SF and a major problem and danger to our educational system which whilst not perfect is very very likely to be made worse.
To blame anyone other than herself for that shows an utter lack of insight.
Maximum change? I look forward to an integrated and comprehensive education system. Sorry, Minister, what’s that you said? Tinkering with the age of selection, and allowing massive holes in your plan (assuming that’s not too strong a word) to undermine it. And doing nothing about sectarian division of education and establishing a secular education system like republicans should want.
I see. Maximum change = next to nothing.
Turgon,
Nail hit thoroughly on the head.
‘and to call a press conference to announce something already in the public domain, if this was the case, is a mistake.’
She is making a fool of herself. Is your defence of her based on how she organised sucessful St Patricks day parades?
And you judge the credibility of others?;-)
Just to be clear, I’m not saying the rest of the executive are perfect or that there is not room for improvement.
Con,
I don’t think she should be measured against that either. There’s only one thing that we can measure it against and that will be the dexterity of her proposals, nothing else.
I simply introduced it to demonstrate that a substantial amount of trouble she’s getting cannot be for the sectarian reasons people are claiming on this thread.
Honestly, I don’t hold with personal attacks on Slugger, but the poisonous drip drip that Livingstone has had to endure in London, makes Catriona’s problems a walk in the park.
We need our politicians both to take tough decisions, and be able to take the flak. Otherwise it just comes across as political weakness.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying the rest of the executive are perfect or that there is not room for improvement.
Posted by Debbie on May 01, 2008 @ 01:02 PM
≠
If Caitriona goes, they all should go
The rest are fit for purpose.
Posted by Debbie on May 01, 2008 @ 11:47 AM
I think that those wishy washy words – they’re not perfect etc – render your arguments ineffective.
The invective deployed against her on this thread – she is ‘a hateful cow’ – is such that it renders all the arguments being used here as without merit. I’m surprised – or not surprised – that it’s allowed stand given Sluggers supposed ‘man not ball’ rule. Maybe ‘ball not man’ doesn’t include ‘ball not woman’ rule on slugger?
My defence of Minister Ruane is not down to what she did at Féile an Phobail – which is more than I can say for the offence being mounted against her – but I do feel that she is being unfairly singled out given the fact that the entire Executive shares responsibility and that consultation is the catchphrase being used more and more these days to stall, delay and postpone decisions. This is not the fault of Minister Ruane – this is the fault of a system built by civil servants designed to preserve the status quo at all costs. There’s bound to be frustration because of this as change is delayed by the mandarins – and I can empathise somewhat with Garibaldy on this – but to personalise the battle, ie to single out the Minister on this occasion – is to lose sight of where the real problem is, at the ministry and the NICS and the vested interest (not least of which is the Catholic headmasters (even the word ‘headmasters’ speaks of a bygone era!).
I would like Edwin Poots to resign – but along with him I would like DCAL to be cleared from top to bottom of the many hatch men and women who have stood in the way of the Irish language, obstructed every positive venture.
I don’t think Caitriona Ruane is an embarrassment to SF – however I do think SF are an embarrassment. If SF were going to be effective in government, all their ministers should be drawing the same fire from the press and the other vested interests. The fact that they’re not shows they’re not working hard enough….
Con,
I don’t think she should be measured against that either. There’s only one thing that we can measure it against and that will be the dexterity of her proposals, nothing else.
I simply introduced it to demonstrate that a substantial amount of trouble she’s getting cannot be for the sectarian reasons people are claiming on this thread.
Honestly, I don’t hold with personal attacks on Slugger, but the poisonous drip drip that Livingstone has had to endure in London, makes Catriona’s problems a walk in the park.
We need our politicians both to take tough decisions, and be able to take the flak. Otherwise it just comes across as political weakness.
Posted by Mick Fealty on May 01, 2008 @ 02:11 PM
Do you or not stand over the remark on this thread calling Caitriona Ruane a ‘hateful cow’? Is that remark not a flagrant violation of the ‘ball not man’ rule?
Con,
I don’t think she should be measured against that either. There’s only one thing that we can measure it against and that will be the dexterity of her proposals, nothing else.
I simply introduced it to demonstrate that a substantial amount of trouble she’s getting cannot be for the sectarian reasons people are claiming on this thread.
Honestly, I don’t hold with personal attacks on Slugger, but the poisonous drip drip that Livingstone has had to endure in London, makes Catriona’s problems a walk in the park.
We need our politicians both to take tough decisions, and be able to take the flak. Otherwise it just comes across as political weakness.
Posted by Mick Fealty on May 01, 2008 @ 02:11 PM
Do you or not stand over the remark on this thread calling Caitriona Ruane a ‘hateful cow’? Is that remark not a flagrant violation of the ‘ball not man’ rule? This is less a debate on education than it is a bout of playground name calling.
As for London and the mayoral election, comparisons are odious and largely irrelevant in this context. After all London is in a foreign country where, for instance, the age of consent is different to that which exists in NI…..
its ok to play the man when the man is a catholic…didnt you know that concubhar?
Oilibhear
She has to introduce change, maximum change, into an education system which was set in its ways for generations and which needed, for the sake of the North’s children, to change. There’s little wonder that Catholic Headteachers, one of the most conservative classes about, would be against that.
Nothing bureaucrats hate more than change and the head of a school is nothing but a bureaucrat
Yes it is a breach. But where is it Con?
The Con and Olly cavalry has arrived.
Sorry lads, you can try and make the Minister the victim all you like, you can blame the Department, the civil servants, the school heads, the slugger posters, the securocrats, MI5/6, even aliens from outer space if you like but everyone else can see the truth, the current Minister has failed to develop the work done by her predecessors, she has failed to lead, she has failed to explain, she has failed to bring her possible allies on side and has instead created confusion, alienated possible allies and lent credibility to those she opposes.
It has nothing to do with her gender or her nationality but has a lot to do with her own personal lack of political ability
Removed. We are not the all seeing all knowing eye some people believe. A little co-operation goes a long way to help keep things clean.
can you name Caitriona Ruane’s direct predecessor as Minister for Education and can you point out that minister’s contribution to this issue? (30 marks)(10% extra if answered in Irish).
I don’t think that one person making offensive remarks invalidates all the criticism.
I think that there is definitely inertia built into the civil service BUT the fact is that it is the politicians themselves who have chosen to hide behind consultations – even if for understandable reasons, i.e. to avoid any controversial decisions, or even any decisions, while the Executive and devolution bed down once more. However, that does not excuse the lack of planning on this issue by the minister’s party. Nor her and her party’s attitude to criticism. They could have carried out the consultation and then pushed through a well-planned alternative anyway.
Cahal;
I can live with the accusation that I am a second rate hack. People read me or don’t read me—that’s their choice.
But is unfair to suggest that my attack on Ruane places me in the “fenian haters, women haters, or southern haters” camp.
In recent columns I have laid into Paisley Jnr (calling for his resignation a few days before he stepped down) and Peter Robinson. Does that put me in the Protestant hating, man hating, Ulster hating camp?
Concubhar O Liathain;
According to you I am a “misogynistic bully boy of the red neck variety with little to contribute except bile and bluster.” What would you expect from a second rate hack?
Guys, I have a 9 year old daughter in a primary school (integrated, as it happens, Cahal) and I have no idea what is happening in terms of her transfer process to secondary education. My suspicion is that the Minister has no idea, either.
I’m no defender of the grammar school system as it stands, which you would have noted if you had bothered finishing the column before the mists and fury overwhelmed you.
I want the Minister removed because she is bloody useless—-and that’s the only reason I want her removed.
Alex.
ceart go leor, a Choncubhar, mas mian leat é i ngaeilge, Maria Eagle an t-ainm a bhí uirthi agus ni chreidím go raibh moran suim uirthi in oideachas anseo.
So is that the sum total of our ambitions now, to match up to Direct Rule ministers? Wow, impressive!
Now any comment on my actual point?
Maybe she’s just hanging on ’til a job she’s better suited for comes along – just a shame (for all of us) that there’s no banged-up ‘eco-tourists’ in need of a mouthpiece these days…
Lan mharcanna/full marks Lámh Dhearg.
I agree that the Minister’s own party is woefully bereft of policies on education and other matters, ie lots of bluster on culture and language but no ACTUAL DELIVERY – but I have to say that Caitriona Ruane measures up well when compared with other ministers in the Executive whose presence has not been felt as of yet. I would be disappointed if what she proposes in two weeks time is weak and without focus – but that’s getting too far ahead at this point.
As for Alex, I have no doubt that you have genuine feelings regarding this issue but your column, which was only quoted here in part, was long on wind and short on detail. Unfortunately I don’t take the Newsletter as it’s not available here in West Cork…so I didn’t read your column regarding IPJ – but I have no doubt that you did call on him to resign and rightfully so. So I withdraw my offensive remarks though I stand over my assertion that this is more about playground poliics than it is about real issues. Let the Minister deliver her detailed paper and then judge rather than try and generate a barrel of smoke over something which is not yet delivered…
Concubhar O Liathain;
I agree with you on the ‘hateful cow’ comment who ever said it broke the rules but your treatment of Alex Kane is also a breach. As Alex points out:
Concubhar O Liathain;
According to you I am a “misogynistic bully boy of the red neck variety with little to contribute except bile and bluster.” What would you expect from a second rate hack?
You say:
but to personalise the battle, ie to single out the Minister on this occasion – is to lose sight of where the real problem is
No it isn’t. Your defence of her is nothing more than blaming everything and everybody else around her and none of this is her fault? Was it the system that called a press conference to tell the press what they already knew? Or her behaviour infront of the committee for education? I stand over my comments that she is an embarrassment to women in public life. It is hard enough for us in politics/public life with out this woman embarrassing her self like this. As a woman everytime I see her behaviour infront of the cameras I cringe.
which was only quoted here in part,
The whole column was available to read via Mick’s link.
I don’t take the Newsletter as it’s not available here in West Cork…so I didn’t read your column regarding IPJ – but I have no doubt that you did call on him to resign and rightfully so.
It’s available free on line.
The whole education debate is fundamentally to do with a persons class, hence, the whole unionist/sdlp middle class ‘outrage’. In the not too distant future(hopefully!), when education moves towards an almost totally intregated system, the same arguments, mud slinging, and abuse by the very same voices will be heard. If the unionist parties are determined to reject selection, what about working class unionists? An end to selection could greatly improve their own childrens chances of a better future. So where are the voices of this substantial section of the community? Do they support selection?(I would find it bizarre if the parents on the Shankill road supported selection). Are they meekly following the dictate of unionist leaders who do not live in nor identify with their areas? Are they so small minded that just because proposals for change which benefits them, comes from sinn fein, they reject it? Where are the PUP? Would working class unionists please stand up and let your voices be heard!
Alex, you said:
“But is unfair to suggest that my attack on Ruane places me in the “fenian haters, women haters, or southern haters” camp. ”
I believe my words were:
“The point I am making is that it is difficult to determine how unpopular her actions are because a large section of those sniping at her are doing so because she is a chucky/woman/southerner/all of the above.”
I don’t know if you are in this group or not.
Cahal (re post 18 today);
On April 30 at 11.52 you posted:
“I wonder if we polled people who weren’t fenian haters, women haters or southerner haters, would her approval rating be higer. I suspect so….Instead…spat at by second rate hacks.”
Anyone on this site who knows me will tell you that I don’t bear grudges and I have no difficulty with the rough and tumble of debate. But I don’t like any suggestion that I have any sectarian or misogynistic baggage.
Best wishes,
Alex.
Is it misogynistic or sectarian to ask why a Government Minister would remove one system of transferring pupils without having a replacement to hand?
No it is neither misognynistic nor sectarian – just bloody good sense.
She is a disaster, not because she is female, fenian or anythng else. Just because she is a disaster.
paul kielty: (I would find it bizarre if the parents on the Shankill road supported selection)
Why? The harm has clearly been done before 11, in entirely ‘comprehensive’ primary schools. How is a comprehensive secondary system going to fix anything?
The change could, of course, hide the damage for another 5 years or so of their children’s school lives.
That ‘how’ question wasn’t rhetorical, by the way.
WILLIS
It is the other way round – Sinn
Fein policy is in line with church teaching, not just in NI either.
Really? I wonder why the RC
grammars, then, haven’t been “in line” with Church
teaching for these past centuries and decades? Or are you talking
balls?
Posted by willowfield on May 01,
2008 @ 11:10 AM
If I am talking balls it will not be
the first time, and I admit that my post this morning was not backed
up with quotes and links
“But it is vital that the Minister
ensures that there is root and branch cohesion across all these
initiatives. Thus, while it has been important to announce the
end of the 11+ and a transfer at 11 based on parental election,
this needs to be accompanied by putting systems in place to promote
an area planning process and the announcement of the Sustainable
Schools policy. Otherwise, some schools face a very uncertain future
and will continue to die a slow lingering death. A society is
uncivilised if it leaves the educational welfare of its children –
and especially its weakest – to the vagaries of Darwinian
economics. The survival of the fittest is neither an
acceptable method of method nor an appropriate content for education”.
Cardinal Sean Brady’s speech to the Post Primary Conference February 5th 2008
http://www.onlineccms.com/current-issues/21/
So the preferred option for the church is election, informed parental choice, rather than academic selection.
Not too difficult to see then how the current catholic grammars are within the fold. They provide academic education which is appropriate to many children. The bad thing is the means of selection, removing the role of the parent and teacher and substituting the state and exam.
“She’s trying to give every kid a fair crack at a decent education.”
In your dreams, Ruane is waiting for Gerry to give her the push.
I have met some incapable politicians in my time, and Ruane is well to the fore.
Alex Kane was spot on, she is a liability.
To put it mildly.
G.
Ruane is waiting for Gerry to give her the push.
Doesn’t look like they’re going to.
link
wtf? “Maximum change” again?! When people keep repeating the same meaningless and/or inaccurate mantras it really doesn’t inspire you with confidence that they actually know what they’re doing.
As pointed out previously, maximum change would at least abolish segregated education as well as selection. In fact, taken literally, maximum change would abolish education altogether, maybe have everyone schooled from home. Why is “maximum change” being spouted so often at all, let alone as a self-evidently good thing?