Together We Win

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Parents and teachers at Balinteer Educate Together this morning

In August 2012, Ballinteer Educate Together National School enrolled its first pupils in temporary accommodation at St. Tiernan’s Community School, Parkvale, Balally, Dundrum, Dublin 16.

Staff and pupils waited for the design and approval process of a new school building to be completed.

And waited.

And protested.

And marched.

And petitioned.

Until…

Dudley Colley writes:

This morning, Ballinteer Educate Together National School got a little letter from An Bord Pleanála saying they were granting planning permission for our long, long fought for school.

We are in a realm beyond happiness, I can’t even begin to articulate what we’re feeling.

I wanted to thank you for the attention and posts you’ve given us over the years, they were hugely helpful, and helped fight one of the good fights that got one! Thanks to all in Broadsheet Towers!

Yay.

Ballinteer Educate Together

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49 thoughts on “Together We Win

  1. Gabby

    Faith can move mountains of bureaucracy. Seek and you shall find. Ask and you shall receive. Knock and it shall be open to you.

    1. Downwiththatsortofthing

      Thankfully it was just down to hard work, dedication and persistence. No need for skyfairyism

  2. SOQ

    Jarlath Burns is the principle of St Pauls High School in Bessbrook, County Armagh and has strong views on why segregated education funded by the British state in NI is a good thing.

    http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/05/23/news/jarlath-burns-defends-catholic-schools-after-paddy-kielty-s-call-to-end-segregated-education–1626261/

    While employed by, and on the premises of, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) in Holywood, Co Down, I lost my job after coming out.

    Go Jarleth- but not in my name.

    1. george

      What does this have to do with Educate Together? They operate in the Republic of Ireland only.

      1. SOQ

        What is happening in the north is of direct relevance. Up there, Catholicism and Irish identity are so intertwined that it is near impossible to unravel the two. And, it is a stark reminder of the damage the ‘them and us’ brainwashing can cause.

        The only difference is that the state schools are not faith based but within that catholic subset, the church also has a firm grip. The plain fact is that it is a game of numbers but religious education in particular is usually biased to the point of one class in the whole year given over to ‘others’.

        In either jurisdiction, the only way these people will give up control is when they are forced to. Congrats to Balinteer Educate Together btw.

    1. Downwiththatsortofthing

      Why should children not indoctrinated into the roman paedophilic supporters club be forced to send their children to a school run by said club? Stupid comment.

      1. A Person

        Really, every school is “roman paedophilic”, unless it is Educate Together? Is that the basis of your point. I went to a catholic (small “c”) school, so did the rest of my family, and children. Should we all abandon them to build new educate together schools for middle class Dublin? And my comment is stupid?

        1. SarahK

          I was raised a Catholic and had a fantastic education in a Catholic National School and a Catholic convent school (although my sex ed was questionable in secondary). I am now no longer a practising Catholic and do not support or follow the teachings of the Catholic church. Therefore I do not want my children attending a Catholic school. I have every right to do this. For my children’s school ethos to align with my beliefs. As do Catholics. But with 96% patronage of schools it is not a level playing field. We do not want to abolish Catholic schools. We just want to be part of the educational landscape. Catholics can have their existing schools. But let us have ours.

          1. A Person

            Why should the state and the tax payer pay for your beliefs? Surely, housing is more critical? If the Jehoval Wittiness’s demanded a school should the state build and fund that?

          2. SarahK

            If you weren’t so willfully ignorant and insistent on showcasing your bias against this type of school (and middle class people at that) and did some research about Educate Together schools you would find that Jehovah Witnesses are welcome there. Like every other faith and those with no faith. Children are educated on various belief systems and offer the opportunity to engage in religious ceremonies outside of school time e.g. children will be offered the chance to prepare and make their communion outside of school hours if the demand is there.

            And as a tax payer, yes I do think the state should fund my beliefs. I am a citizen and deserve to be represented. Just like everyone else.

  3. Penny

    Was the old Notre Dame school good enough for them? they had to go off and build a new school??
    Also why is the Notre Dame school being turned into apartments??

    1. Downwiththatsortofthing

      Notre dame is outside the catchment area for the school. Clue is in the name.

    2. SarahK

      The Gaelscoil is the other school sharing the old Notre Dame building so BETNS were not the only tenants. Plus, it’s outside the catchment area.

    3. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      My aunt’s friends and other aul wans from the area were all looking to downsize and thought those apartments were perfect. They registered their interest but were told that Irish Life had bought them all as an investment and would be renting them out.
      No wonder there’s a housing shortage.

    4. Aoife Doyle

      Notre Dame school is not being turned into apartments. The nuns sold the convent, hockey pitches and old junior school buildings off to a developer who is building apts. Thus allowing money to care for the old and infirm order.
      Notre Dame New Junior school has been given to the new Gael scoil, not ballinteer EDUCATE together.
      BETNS has a share of some rooms in the junior school and some of the senior school (where Notre Dame finishes this June). BETNS has temporary use of the senior school in entirety next year. Once the new school is built the Gael scoil will take over the entire campus.
      As both a past pupil of Notre Dame schools and a parent of a child in BETNS I can tell you that without a lot of changes it’s not suitable for primary school children. The 1950s heating alone caused many colds back in my day… Plus it doesn’t meet modern standards/regulations for primary age children. And you can’t make those changes yourself when you’re a temporary inhabitant. The 3 schools sharing the (hugely reduced) campus have really worked amazingly well together to work the facilities.
      So no 3 schools sharing a campus half the size Notre Dame used to be is not good enough for our children.

    1. millie st murderlark

      Do you know the area and families involved well enough to make that judgement?

        1. millie st murderlark

          But it’s not NI.

          Just because it’s not a traditionally disadvantaged area, that doesn’t mean there aren’t families and children who won’t benefit from an ET school. It’s an unfair stereotype to use, especially for something as important as the education of our young people.

        2. millie st murderlark

          Sorry, I realise you may not be making the point that Smith is making above

          1. Smith

            Millie, the problem is that the majority are in middle-class, affluent areas. People in disadvantaged areas do not have a choice. It also seems that voices are heard louder in these areas, and lobbying would not be as effective in marginalised, disadvantaged areas. There are also more pressing problems like poverty, drugs, crime, early school leavers etc. Therefore educate together schools are almost wholly a middle class concern, and not a priority.

          2. millie st murderlark

            Do you have a source for that claim, Smith? I’d very much like to take a look if you do. Because I had a look myself, and couldn’t find anything to back it up, unless I want to spend my evening trawling through a list of all 80+ ET schools – which I don’t.

            I agree with what you’re saying with regard to disadvantaged areas, but I don’t think that areas like Cabra, Balbriggan, Broombridge, Dublin 8 etc can strictly be classed as middle class – or the schools there dismissed as a middle class concern.

          3. Owen C

            Here’s the map. Its a mix of middle class, lower middle class and working class areas

            https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEA_enIE810IE810&q=educate+together+schools&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=53322936,-6270383,3474&tbm=lcl&ved=2ahUKEwj6sN7Uy-PiAhUN5uAKHS8SCL8QtgN6BAgGEAQ&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!2m1!1e16!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2&rldoc=1#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:!1m2!1d53.432724799999995!2d-6.132547!2m2!1d53.2499999!2d-6.4633346!3m12!1m3!1d88534.92946137415!2d-6.2979408!3d53.34136235!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i482!2i446!4f13.1;tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!2m1!1e16!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2

          4. Operatick

            Millie, copy all of the text after the ‘http” not just the linked bit and paste it into a browsers address bar. Should work then.

      1. Smith

        Majority are in affluent areas, and there is a huge dearth in the most disadvantaged communities. Predominantly a middle class concern too.

    2. Vanessa the Holy Face of Frilly Keane

      Ah Smith cop on
      There is no parish community or post code in Dublin now that is predominantly anything
      All walks of life populate every street in every parish and in every post code

      Parents select schools for their children for all sorts of reasons
      Location, convenience, personal preference, friends and family, feeder protocols, special needs, maybe they went there themselves
      Ethos and Demographic being the very least of their criteria
      IMO anyway

    1. Operatick

      @Peter Dempsey: If you say that, then there is a very good chance you haven’t met him. Nice trolling though.

  4. A Person

    Really, every school is “roman paedophilic”, unless it is Educate Together? Is that the basis of your point. I went to a catholic (small “c”) school, so did the rest of my family, and children. Should we all abandon them to build new educate together schools for middle class Dublin? And my comment is stupid?

    1. Operatick

      @A Person: IMO, Educate Together is not the perfect solution to the patronage problem in Ireland, because there should not be ANY patronage in schools, catholic or Educate Together or otherwise. Its just that the state can’t/won’t run schools so patronage bodies fill that gap. It’s just that Educate Together is the best available alternative to the main school patronage body in Ireland, the church.

  5. SarahK

    I am surprised at all the begrudgers. This is planning permission for a school. A school! That’s a good thing! And this campaign to build the school took 8 years. 8 years of campaigning by families. Ballinteer Educate Together and Ballinteer itself is full of families just like your family. Families from all walks of life. Socio economic status has nothing to do with it. And disadvantages have many forms not just financial. So keep that in mind before you start harping on about working class and middle class families and disadvantaged areas. It may appear well to do but scratch the surface and there are hard working parents who are struggling like everyone else and just want an education for their children that supports their ethos.

  6. Vanessa the Holy Face of Frilly Keane

    While ye’re all sorting yerselves out up there
    Over this and that
    Or whatever conniption it is today

    I want to congratulate and thank the team behind Ballinteer Educate together
    I’m sure there were many nights you were tempted to stay in by the fire
    Or wanted to just buy that book of raffle tickets instead of passing them off on nanny’s and grandads, neighbours, god parents and work pals with a straight face for a box of Family Circle or a set of coffee mugs
    Or had force yourselves to convince people it was worth the hassle

    Here’s the thing
    Stuff like this just doesn’t happen without Volunteers
    You, by Volunteering, have changed the future of your Community

    So don’t ever underestimate your contribution
    And don’t let anyone else do it either

    V

  7. dav

    Now, wait and see how long it takes to get the thing build, the thousands of prefabs across this nations schools shows how good the dept of education are building things..

  8. Operatick

    @A Person: IMO, Educate Together is not the perfect solution to the patronage problem in Ireland, because there should not be ANY patronage in schools, catholic or Educate Together or otherwise. Its just that the state can’t/won’t run schools so patronage bodies fill that gap. It’s just that Educate Together is the best available alternative to the main school patronage body in Ireland, the church.

  9. TomS

    This planning permission has been granted notwithstanding that similar applications have been refused on numerous occasions by both the Council and Bord P. The access issues raised in those rejections have not been resolved but the application is now approved. Very strange. The access to the site is grossly inadequate, seriously injurious to a residential error and will contribute further to the mess that is morning traffic around Dundrum, notably Sandyford road.

    I am delighted that the school is to be built but there is still a long way to go with this development. The access issue will not go away.

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