I visited a local school, one that’s been in the news recently for the wrong reasons, St.Colm’s in Twinbrook. Fantastic school, fantastic teachers, fantastic ethos and dedication from all in the school.
To give you an idea of how the school performs: of the 25 students who stayed to do A-Levels last year, 17 have gone on to further education in places such as Liverpool, Lancashire, Cumbria, UU, some are on a gap year and the rest are in employment – one who just signed a professional contract with Blackburn Rovers.
Its also my old school, I’m a very proud student of St.Colm’s. I was there for the schools annual celebration of achievement awards, which is always a good event and the Minister for Education was also there, Caitriona Ruane.
The principal is excellent and gave a very moving and inspiring speech, praised the staff and pupils, parents and the local community. The Minister then spoke in what can only be described as a bizarre if not borderline brainwashing fashion. Personally I think that the principal’s speech was so well recieved and the minister’s was not scripted that she thought she would just wing it – it wasn’t well recieved, in fact some people have already mentioned it to me.
A brief run down of how it went is as follows, she began by telling of her experience of moving to West Belfast 20 years ago around the time of the Gibraltar funerals and having to walk behind coffin after coffin. She then moved on to her tennis career and how she traveled the world to a conversation with her mum she remembers having when she was in El Salvador that consisted of ’she said then I said then she said’.
Aswell as the speech having no structure, or point, the Minister then began to say things like she ‘has visited every jail in Ireland’ that ‘1000’s of young people used to be sent to jail during the troubles’ and that ‘thankfully this is not the case anymore, that 1000’s of young people just like you don’t go to jail anymore’. She told the pupils that this was because SF stood up and fought against the discrimination as did their parents, their parents stood up against the militarisation and against the 1000’s of young people going to jails and that it is up to them now to follow in their footsteps.
Bobby Sands was mentioned for good measure, ‘a local hero’.
This was blatant SF propaganda being delivered by the Minister for Education in a school on official ministerial business. It was inappropriate and irresponsible. What was she thinking? What will this do to the relationship the Shinners have with the DUP? Is the Minister saying this in every school she visits? All questions that need answered.
Matt…..Not wishing to nit-pick, but a School doesn’t have a Principle, you have that….it has a Principal…..otherwise I agree with you 100%. The Ruanator is a disaster for our children’s educational future. I do pity the children who would be sitting the Selection procedure next November and don’t have a clue what is going to replace it. Unfortunately all we have is that idiot, the Herman Munster lookalike, John O’Dowd telling parents and teachers to teach the New Curriculumn…..
Thanks Bill, amended accordingly. Was out at Christmas Party night before and needless to say was not feeling great yesterday when posting.
Excellent post Matt. Congrats on the new blog. I see you are already mentioned on Slugger.
Caitriona Ruane has done similar stunts before – not far from the Guildhall here in Derry. She spoke at a Prizegiving in St. Joseph’s Boy School in Derry and made very similar comments as you’ve described in Twinbrook.
You get the feeling that she thinks any CCMS school in a nationalist area is full of her property to be brainwashed as she thinks fit.
She even spoke at a PRIMARY SCHOOL in the Waterside – CCMS obviously – and spoke to P7s about SF ending the old days of discrimination so they won’t be second class citizens. The woman is a disgrace and doesn’t know how to behave as a Minister.
That said, let’s play the ball not the [wo]man so perhaps less of the Herman Munster stuff..
Hey Matt, loving your work !!
I believe the Minister has run out of any sense she had reminding ! How is it ok for a executive Minister ( as she was there in her Ministerial duties) make these claims and not be reprimanded ?
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