give us a chance!!

by Micheal Greally Fri Mar 14, 2003 21:32

Is this a joke? Do you really think two Guards could be bothered their arses to sit outside a school to 'stop' a few hundred students leaving? What proof do you have that they were called to the school? How do you know what exactly they were doing there? How did the authorities actually stop you leaving? Who 'locked' the doors? I hate bits and pieces of heresay stories like this. Put forward some more facts please on this. If, (its a big IF), the doors where locked then has anybody reported same to the Fire Officer in Drogheda?

by james redmond Fri Mar 14, 2003 21:56

Irish secondaries aren't exactly renowned for being entirely liberated places with slack rules. Of course they'd call the cops, and of course the local cops would oblige. Schools are like mini autonomous zones, if the irish church was a state within a state for much of our history then schools were pretty much a back bone to it.

Sarah's someone who picked up Campaign for free education literature at UCDs open day and wants to get involved. So i heard about this before this posting, it did happen.

A guide for student organisers has been placed on the CFE site for anybody who is interested.

by james redmond Fri Mar 14, 2003 21:57

that link is http://www.freeeducation.cjb.net

by Bernard Sat Mar 15, 2003 04:21

The teachers are acting in loco parentis, so they can do pretty much what they like.

by ipsiphi iosaf o as if Sat Mar 15, 2003 12:27

It seems that you have learnt one of the first lessons of the course entitled
"Our state, its authority and our liberty".

Normally this occurs slightly later on in life, when many of you are found in possesion of hashish or marijuana or guilty of shoplifting.

=That is something you must think carefully about.

Before you were born there was once an idea to have a "civics" class once a week in Irish secondary level schools. In practise though this really only happened in multi-denominational schools as a substitute for the R.K. classes in the R.C. schools. Most Irish schoolgoers will recall the "civics" class was really a ·doss·.

If you have your parents permission to access this site one presumes you would have your parents permission to take part in this protest.

No matter it did not occur. Your school principal might have been thinking of your better interests or on behalf of your parents or indeed the insurance policy held by the institution.

This is an example of ·authority·.

You may notice that many of your teachers though figures of ·authority· are ·anti-authoritarianism·. This is a strange balance to keep for many of them. And at times difficult decisions are made. Try asking your principal or teachers for a "civics" class or debate on these issues. Authority sometimes can be justified, allow them the benefit of the doubt. (Afterall I am sure they allow you the benefit of the doubt many times).

It is my sincere hope that you do well at your studies, and support the Peace campaigns.

by Michael Greally Sat Mar 15, 2003 13:54

Why has Sarah posted an item then not come back to answer questions? I have no problem with anything posted as long as it is fair and truthful. As an 'occassional' free lancer I was interested by the story. However, it appears that the Guards were not in fact called to this event, and as I suspected they wouldn't have the slightest bit of interest in sitting in a squad car outside a school - why would they? To do what? What offence took place? In any case, a call to a friend in the Force suggests that nearly all Drogheda Guards were diverted to Dundalk yesterday to deal with an IRA funeral (man shot in Culloville during the week). So I doubt very much if they would waste time sitting in a car for an hour when there was nothing to investigate and no crime to solve! As for the Fire Officer, he could not be contacted, but a Fire official said that locking the doors (if it happened) would have been a serious safety risk. Again, I have to ask have any of the students reported this to the Fire Authorities?

Finally, any teachers I know would only have been too delighted to have no class to teach on a Friday afternoon, so lets not castigate all of them either!

by Finghin - SP Sat Mar 15, 2003 20:01

I was talking to one of the main organisers involved in that school. It is true what was posted, the gardaí were called and the organisers were threatened with disciplinary action

by antrophe Sat Mar 15, 2003 20:50

'Why has Sarah posted an item then not come back to answer questions?'

Most people really don't have round the clock access to the internet.

by Intransigent Mon Mar 17, 2003 00:23

Cause of fucking stupid comments by people like you! Oh no she didn't come back. How irresponsible of her!!! Oh no wait she must just be making it up! Wake up!!!!!!!!!! Not everyone just plays about on the internet all day just waiting for a response to their articles!

by Michael Greally Mon Mar 17, 2003 10:44

Sarah still has not come back to prove her claim. Thats three days ago now. I have since double checked with my sources and I can confirm that the Gardai were not called to this event. Postings really must be verified and accurate if journalists are expected to follow them up.

by Gaz - campaign for free education Thu Mar 20, 2003 23:22 garyman at hotmail dot com 086 8811022

from where she lives i'd say she goes to sacred heart school in drogheda. I wasn't at the protest but it wouldn't surprise me if members of the Gardai were involved. The cops were outside my school in drogheda 2 years ago when we protested against the ongoing ASTI dispute.