Education

29 September 2013

Secular Sunday #92 – Relatively Early Edition

As promised, this week’s newsletter comes to you considerably earlier than you’ve become used to. Those who prefer to get it later can simply wait a few hours before reading. – Derek Walsh, Editor

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5 May 2013

Secular schools and human rights: extract from book chapter by Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly

Michael Nugent and Jane Donnelly wrote a chapter on secular education and human rights for the book ‘Towards Mutual Ground – Pluralism, Religious Education and Diversity in Irish Schools’ edited by Gareth Byrne and Patricia Kieran and published last week by Columba Press. Other contributors...

1 October 2012

Jane Donnelly promotes need for secular education at OSCE human rights meeting in Poland

This is the speech by Jane Donnelly, Atheist Ireland Education Policy Officer, to the side meeting on protecting the human rights of atheists, at the annual OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) human rights meeting in Warsaw in Poland today, Monday 1st October....

30 September 2012

Atheist Ireland attends OSCE meeting in Poland to challenge spread of blasphemy laws and promote human rights of atheists

Atheist Ireland will this Monday, October 1st, attend the annual OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) human rights meeting in Warsaw in Poland, where we will speak against blasphemy laws, religious oaths and the need for secular education. Atheist Ireland will also host...

12 July 2012

Atheist Ireland replies to Minister for Education re VEC Community Schools

In April, Atheist Ireland wrote to the Minister for Education about Document No. 154 of material released to RTE under the Freedom of Information Act. This document outlined how parents in a VEC community school were told that: “It is true that all morality is...

12 May 2012

Atheist Ireland submission on draft State report to UN on Civil and Political Rights

On 3rd May, Atheist Ireland attended a consultation at the Department of Foreign Affairs on the Draft Irish State Report to the United Nations under the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights. We have also made a written submission that Government departments will consider...

6 May 2012

Secular Sunday #19 – A Little Bit of Politics

It’s time for Secular Sunday! In this issue: News Upcoming Events Oireachtas Report

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15 April 2012

Report from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism

Last Tuesday 10th April the Minister for Education & Skills released the Report from the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism. http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10861&ecategory=10876&sectionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=56996 The Minister for Education & Skills has asked that the interested parties examine the report and take time to reflect on and digest the...

8 March 2012

Michael Nugent and Fr Vincent Twomey on Newstalk Radio

On Wednesday 7 March, Newstalk Radio interviewed Michael Nugent and Father Vincent Twomey about the Hibernia College teacher training course controversy. Twomey had written course notes on religion for Hibernia that included inaccurate claims about atheism and atheists, and Hibernia College had removed the course...

2 March 2012

Atheist Ireland to assist Hibernia College with pluralist religion and ethics curriculum

Atheist Ireland today met with Hibernia College to discuss the course notes that made untrue statements about atheism and atheists. The meeting was very productive. The relevant course notes have been removed. Michael Nugent is preparing an initial one-hour introductory lesson for Hibernia College on...