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Principal addresses concerns about an on-going campaign, regarding the proposed new school

8th May 2018

Letter to all Parents/Guardians

 

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

I am aware many of you are concerned about the ongoing campaign regarding St Patrick`s position on the proposed new school. Parents have shared their disbelief that one Catholic school now appears to be trying to score points at the expense of other Catholic schools. We must guard against the false notion that pupils attending a grammar school are better than others educated elsewhere. They are not.

I want to reiterate the importance of all of us, as a collective body: parents, staff, principals, pupils and the wider community recognising that everyone is unique and gifted in their own right. Irrespective of the view point you hold, I urge you to help all our young people accept that everyone is of equal importance. We must not attempt to undermine anyone else simply to get our own way.

Dignity, respect and equality are surely fundamental building blocks for every society. We have pupils in our school who did not do the Transfer Test and other pupils who passed the Transfer Test and decided to come here. All our pupils are educated to meet their individual needs, many achieve very high grades at GCSE and A Level. We have past pupils in many walks of life e.g. doctors, solicitors, chief executives, managing directors etc. Success in the Transfer Test is no indicator of success in later life.

Irrespective of anyone’s view on this proposed amalgamation, it is unacceptable to embroil our young people in behaviours that have the potential to destroy friendships, erode family bonds, position pupils against each other and possibly store up other problems for them in the future. Northern Ireland is a very divided place and we certainly do not need one Catholic school, in the words of a parent, “suggesting they are better than the other Catholic schools.”

The truth of the situation is that all 3 schools in Downpatrick accepted the vision of a new school for this area. This was confirmed in a statement issued by the Trustees that was released to the Governors in all 3 schools and through the Principals to the staff in all 3 schools in February 2013. The only outstanding issue, at that time, was planning the steps to take to arrive at the new school.

In the times ahead I am asking the whole community, irrespective of the school your child attends, to recognise the importance of building a society with tolerance, respect and dignity at its core. Where will this end if we are somehow teaching our young people some are more important and deserving than others? Surely, such a misguided view should not be allowed to grow in our society?

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Mrs S Darling

Principal

April 20th, 2018