The INTO and the Equality Authority jointly hosted a conference in Limerick yesterday entitled ‘The Inclusive School’. The conference was attended by over 300 delegates. Speakers included Catherine Byrne, Deputy General Secretary of the INTO, Niall Crowley, CEO of the Equality Authority and Dr. Felicity Armstrong of the University of London.
The inclusive school prevents and combats discrimination. It is one that respects, values and accommodates diversity across all nine grounds in the equality legislation namely gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller community. It seeks positive experiences, a sense of belonging and outcomes for all pupils across the nine grounds. Outcomes include access, participation, personal development and achieving education credentials.
In further developing the inclusive school, the Conference highlighted the importance of:
Planned and systematic approaches to equality and the need for school plans to set out actions to prevent discrimination, to make adjustments for the diversity of pupils and to promote equality for all pupils;
Schools complying with equality legislation with admission policies and strategies ensure the diversity of the local population is reflected in the school intake; and with codes of behaviour and strategies to ensure harassment and sexual harassment does not happen in schools for pupils or teachers,
Developing a school culture and ethos that affirms and celebrates diversity, that promotes access to positive learning experiences for all pupils and participation by all pupils in all aspects of school life; and
Classroom practice that ensures all students have access to a knowledge and understanding of issues of discrimination, equality and inequality.
“The inclusive school requires and implies proactive policies which will create the context for further development in the area of equality. This will demand a clear commitment from Government to support and resource teachers in carrying out this work. It will also require a pledge from Government to honour its commitments so that the economic and social circumstances into which a child is born do not continue to be the key determinant of educational success” stated Catherine Byrne.
Niall Crowley, stated that “education and equality is identified as a priority in our work. This flows from the specific provisions in equality legislation in relation to educational establishments and the levels of casework that are emerging in this area. It reflects the centrality of education provision to the quality of life of people within the nine grounds covered by the equality legislation”. He continued “Developing inclusive approaches benefits schools as higher levels of attainment are achieved, as absenteeism and disciplinary problems decrease and as diversity becomes a resource that enhances their work. Teachers too benefit through flexible, dynamic and creative teaching environment and in a context where their own diversity is valued and accommodated and where their own contribution can be made to full effect”.
Ends