Bel Nabulele:

I want to come in on the issue of policy, which was my point. One of the problems is that policies can sit in the corner of an office, collect dust and not be updated. It was only recently that Irish Travellers were recognised as a minority group. Part of the problem is that even if a school has an anti-racism policy, it will do that for the week to get their yellow flag and hang it in the school, but it will not do it ever again. The school will not do anything after that. It is just for the multiculturalism week or day. It is just not enough.

The Deputy asked whether our schools are listening to us. Personally, I think the best way for schools to listen to students is through a policy that is currently being used by the Educate Together schools, which is to have students sit on the schools’ boards of management. They do not do this in a voting capacity but, rather, in an advisory role. I do not want to use the word “supervisor” but they make sure the board of management puts the students at the heart of all its actions. Having students sit on the board of management is definitely a step in the right direction.