Voicesofyouth

There’s one class in school that I know from experience and talking to others that is usually thought incorrectly and inaccurately. Religion. Usually a filler class for most that takes up two classes out of the 49 I have a week – I tend to have to sit in religion and have to listen to a bias opinion on one religion and I know from others that I’m not the only one to experience it.

Since the Celtic Tiger, Ireland’s religious spectrum expanded and even though the vast majority of the country fall under the title of Roman Catholic there is plenty of other citizens with different views on religion and their spirituality. But why is it that even though the country has changed, the system has not changed? Why is it that Ireland’s education system for religious education has not evolved with the population and the students in school?

I’ll tell you why, because Ireland has it’s head in the clouds and does not take religion as a serious subject. 1,500 students sat religious education for their Leaving Certificate this June and I only know one of them. Until a few months back I was even unaware of the fact that religion was a subject for leaving certificate. I was aware of it being studied for the Junior Cert, but not the leaving cert.

So if people aren’t studying for the exam that is available, what are they studying for? Nothing. The classes are used by a teacher that is probably not qualified in religion but only has a strong view on the topic (which is usually bias to one religion). For example, a teacher who is extremely catholic could voice their opinion on same sex marriage, adoption laws and abortion in a negative way but not allow for an open opinion from the opposite side of the argument.

I believe that religion should remain a subject in schools – but not as what it is. I, as an agnostic, would very much so like to learn about different religions, philosophy and different outlooks on life from a teacher who is unbiased to their own religion. They say a traveled mind is a broadened mind, but how can someone have a broad mind when their mind has only seen Catholicism?

– Paraic McLean