Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

A protest took place last week outside the Glanmire Community College in Cork. As I understand it, the protest was organised by students who felt that racist attitudes were not being taken sufficiently seriously by the school authorities. I also understand that the protest took place following the suspension of two students who had vocalised this point of view. The protest was, I understand, both sizeable and multiracial. This episode raises important issues for the education system as a whole. Our school population now includes many young people from our new communities, who very rightly have zero tolerance for racism and for being treated as second-class citizens. It is important that the education system is not in any sense behind the curve in meeting this aspiration for equal treatment. I believe that racial sensitivity training across the entire education system would improve both the system and the student experience. What is the Minister’s opinion on introducing comprehensive training of this kind?

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