It’s that time of year; parents who have their kid’s names down for certain schools are waiting with bated breath for the acceptance letter.
For some, it’s good news. They will get an offer from their first choice of school for their son or daughter and sail right in.
For others, they were too late in getting their kid’s name down and find themselves having to settle for a different school that they weren’t 100% keen on.
In another category altogether, some parents are faced with no other option than to send their children run by a religious organisation that they aren’t subscribed to.
What do we as Irish parents have to do in that situation? When it comes to our children’s education in 2016, have we still to choose between their educational future and our own religious beliefs?
We asked ‘Would you christen your child just to get them into the school you want the most?’ and the responses from parents around Ireland were fairly mixed:
“We needed baptismal cert for registration of the school I wanted. So yes I would have to secure a place but she was already christened” – Kellie, Tallaght
“I did it – can’t be helped unless you want a second rate school” – Christopher, Co. Dublin
“No. There’s been times where we wished we could go through with a christening but we just can’t. It just wouldn’t feel right to us” – Jean, Dublin
“Nope, neither of mine are. To keep christening children if it is not your belief, just fuels the catholic churches’ ridiculous hold over our education system. Respectfully to those who are of faith, but Religion does not belong in schools” – Jenny, Cork
“We talked about it. But we couldn’t raise our children in an organisation that has essentially declared war on people we love. So we haven’t. Which means not getting into the local school (but that would’ve meant they were ‘colouring in’ for a lot of the day anyway), and we’ll have to drive them to another school a bit away. All worth it to stand up for what you believe in and teach children that everyone is equal” – Niamh, Co. Meath
“No. Practicalities aside would you want your kids in a school that has such a policy. I didn’t. Educate Together schools are brilliant by the way. This needs to be tackled at government level. We need a total seperation of state and church. Including schools, hospitals and everything else” – Aindriú, Dublin
“I didn’t and they still got in” – Saidhbh, Galway
“It’s not the school for our kid if he has to be christened” – Deborah, Dublin
“No. I did christen my children and let them follow school religion but they were thought the rights from wrongs at home. Three out of four made up their own minds already not to continue with ‘school’ beliefs. The 4th is only nine… Give him time…” – Caroline, North Co. Dublin
“Absolutely. The waiting lists for Educate Together schools are insane around here. Even having the child’s name down from birth offers no guarantees. We don’t have the luxury of having a moral objection to it so we just have to do it” – Suzy, Dublin
“No. But we’re lucky living in the country where the local school has only 100 students and are crying out for more so they qualify for another teacher. My children were not and will not be christened. Though now they are in second class and some of their classmates are making communion and wasting my sons valuable education time in preparation. If we lived somewhere with limited places and no options I still wouldn’t christen them. It wouldn’t be the school for my children. I’d probably look into homeschooling rather than have a religion forced on them” – Fiona, Co. Meath
“I christened mine for school but also because I want them to believe in something. When times are tough you need to believe in something. Whether that’s, Buddha, God, Allah or themselves I don’t mind so they can change it when they get older. My mum let us choose. When I saw the communion dresses my friends were getting I said ‘I’ll have a bitta that please!’ So it was just as shallow really!” – Emily, Co. Dublin
What’s your situation? Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilyDotie
