Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 23 April 2024

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth

Ireland's International Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Discussion

Rachel Fleming:

If I could speak first on the policy that was mentioned, it is known in schools that no one should be discriminating. That is quite clear and is explained to us. But the way that schools are going about it is incorrect. They do not go into it in depth it is just, "do not be racist." Clearly no-one is supposed to be racist but it is not properly helping students. It is not explaining to people how wrong it is and how much it affects people. There are quotes here asking for diverse staff and representation for students and teachers and that is part of it as well. At the end of the day, however, what goes on between students affects people so much and impacts people so much. The schools are not going about it in the right direction.