Paul Givan vetoes schools’ bids for integrated status in North Down

The BBC is reporting that Education minister Paul Givan has turned down the request of Bangor Academy and Rathmore Primary (also in Bangor) to integrate in spite of the overwhelming support of local parents for the move (80% of parents and guardians supported the proposal when quizzed in Summer 2023). From the BBC report…

“In rejecting the bids, Givan said that there was not enough evidence that there would be enough Catholic pupils at each school for it to provide integrated education.

He cited Stormont legislation which said that there should be “reasonable numbers of both Protestant and Roman Catholic children” in integrated schools.

“Even on the most optimistic analysis, it would appear highly unlikely that reasonable numbers could be achieved,” Givan wrote”

Givan further clarified his decision in a statement released on Wednesday night (and covered here in the Irish News) saying,

“Over recent years, the percentage of Catholic children attending both Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College and Rathmore Primary school has been around 3%.

“When a school transforms to integrated, the precise religious balance within the school will vary depending on local circumstances.

“When considering the demographics of the local area, the extremely limited and historic enrolments from the Catholic community and the availability of both Catholic maintained and other integrated options, I believe there is insufficient evidence that reasonable numbers could be achieved in the future.

“I would anticipate that changing the status of the two schools to integrated would only have a marginal impact on the number of Catholic children attending the schools.

“Even on the most optimistic analysis, it would appear highly unlikely that reasonable numbers could be achieved.”

Givan’s decision has generated a considerable amount of anger. As reported in the Belfast Telegraph,

IEF chief executive Paul Caskey said the organisation is “extremely disappointed that the Minister of Education has rejected the democratic wishes of the overwhelming majority of parents” at both schools.

“In reaching this flawed decision, the minister has clearly rejected not only the desire of the school community but also the advice of his own officials, the Education Authority and the Controlled Schools Support Council,” he said.

“It is hard to comprehend how such decisions reflect the Department of Education’s statutory duty to ‘support, encourage and facilitate’ integrated education.

“We deeply appreciate the time, energy and commitment both schools, parents and the wider communities have already dedicated to the transformation process.

“We don’t want any of this hard work to be lost going forward and the IEF will continue to support the schools to help them consider next steps and future actions.”

The BBC quotes two Alliance and one SDLP representative demanding answers…

“The Alliance Party’s Connie Egan said the minister needed to “set out his rationale for effectively blocking integrated education across north Down”.

“It is difficult to think of one, given the overwhelming public support for the moves among parents of pupils and also the wider local community,” she said.

The chair of Stormont’s education committee, Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, also said he was baffled by Givan’s decisions.

“I will be seeking answers from him in the assembly as a matter of urgency, as those who overwhelmingly voted to transform to integrated status will no doubt be asking serious questions about the minister’s judgement,” he said.

Cara Hunter, of the SDLP who sits on the education committee, said the decision to reject the applications “flies in the face” of the wishes of the majority of parents.

“It’s concerning that the minister appears to have based his decision on narrow criteria,” she added.”

And of course the schools themselves at the centre of the controversy are bitterly disappointed at the outcome with principal Matthew Pitts of Bangor Academy being quoted by the BBC as saying that

“…the school community was “extremely disappointed” by the minister’s decision.

“We have been on a significant journey as a school and the transformation process has been exciting and has helped us redefine our school’s vision for education moving forward,” he said.

“We are proud of the inclusive, diverse nature of our school and we will continue to deliver an outstanding education in the future regardless of this decision.

“We are disappointed that the minister has gone against the significant number of parents who voted in favour of integration but I would like to thank them for their engagement, challenge and sense of optimism that this process delivered.

“It is a privilege to work for such a forward thinking, positive and supportive community.”

It all seems very messy. On the one hand we have a two schools that want to change to an integrated status, a move backed by the parents and guardians of existing pupils and recommended by officials within the Department of Education, and on the other we have the sitting Minister who has exercised his own judgment to deny that request and who has cited current legislation in defence of his choice.

Context of course is important, and in this case the important context is the strong antipathy of the DUP towards integrated education. In March 2022, as Stormont teetered on the brink, the Integrated Education Bill came up for a vote in the Assembly. The DUP attempted to block the bill with a petition of concern, and were able to enlist the support of then MLA Jim Allister, but failed as Doug Beattie refused to support them in using the petition, meaning the bill passed on a majoritarian basis.

Then DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson summed up his party’s opposition as an attempt to protect the controlled and maintained sectors, which he argued stood to lose funding if the integrated sector was prioritised. As he said at the time…

“This Bill, we are told, is about promoting integration and equality but actually this Bill undermines the principle of equality in Northern Ireland, it undermines the principle of parental choice. That is wrong and that is why we are opposing it and will be pursuing a petition of concern.”

While the DUP lost the vote the BBC report from the time makes clear…

“It really depends on the support, and that’s the key in this bill, the department has to give integrated education. This bill commits the department to bring forward an action plan and draw up targets. That won’t happen overnight and will be the responsibility of the next education minister.”

That minister of course ended up being Paul Givan from the DUP. The reason this has become a controversy is that the minister in charge of supporting integrated education is also from a party that has a record of opposing it and fought tooth and nail against the last piece of major legislation on the issue. Where the matter proceeds from here remains to be seen.