Critics of a new Catholic RSE resource called ‘Flourish’ should not make children into a battleground in the conflicts of others, according to the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin.
Speaking on RTE’s Drivetime, Dr Dermot Farrell said parents are the primary educators of their children, a role which teachers respect, and it is not justifiable to replace parents in that role.
“Sometimes what happens here is, I think—its important that we try to serve the children and that they are not made into a battleground in the conflicts of others.”
RTE presenter, Sarah McInerney said “Absolutely, I think everyone would agree on that”, to which the Archbishop replied: “But not everyone is agreed with it”.
He was responding to a question about whether it is appropriate that Catholic primary schools teach children that marriage is between a man and a woman when the Constitution recognises same-sex marriage.
During that referendum, then Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Education Minister, Jan O’Sullivan, promised that faith-schools would still be allowed to teach what they believe about marriage.
Archbishop Farrell also emphasised that ‘Flourish’, is merely a supplementary resource, not a curriculum, and it is not required to be taught. It is written in line with the NCCA’s curriculum and the RSE guidelines from the Department of Education. He said the NCCA makes a connection between ethos and curriculum, and both teachers and parents were looking for help to supply a particular ethos, so that children can learn values through RSE so that the biological facts would not be separated from them.
