Dear Sir;
We the undersigned staff members from St Columban’s, wholeheartedly welcome and endorse all the
comments made by our past pupil Mr Shane McComb in his statement of 30 th May to the “Mourne
Observer”.
Mourne is a very special area with its own unique geographical and cultural identity. Generations of
our children have been able to receive their education in the heart of their own community and it is
important that our current pupils and those who follow them get the same opportunity.
St Columban’s has always enshrined the “education for all” ethos and for over 50 years children have
come through our doors to go on to find fulfilment and achieve success at all levels in life. But while
we value our heritage, we look forward to an even brighter future for Catholic education in Mourne:
one all-ability post-primary school is the only viable, sustainable and ethical option for our area. This
could be achieved through a merger of our two schools. But is a merger going to happen?
We are confident that a merger is what the members of the NICCE would have hoped for when they
recommended “one school” in the Kilkeel area. However, it would appear from statements to the
press that St Louis’ wants to remain a grammar school and intends to continue using academic
selection. Indeed the most recent press coverage indicates that 27 Catholic grammar schools across
Northern Ireland will “run 11-plus exams again this year, in defiance of repeated Church orders to end
academic selection.” (“Irish News”, 28/05/12)
We believe that the use of academic selection top determine entry to a school is outdated, socially
divisive and morally bankrupt. All children are special. All children have needs. All schools should
be able to meet the educational needs of all pupils.
In his preface to NICCE’s Post-primary Report, Bishop McKeown hoped that the review would create
“a society where diversity is cherished and not feared” and which would not “allow existing institutional
interests to dominate”. But sadly the failure of so many grammar schools to embrace the all-ability
ethos means that academic selection will continue to be used and abused to discriminate against and
segregate children. Moreover, despite the grammar schools’ insistence on “academic testing”, too
many of them have successfully used unregulated testing and very flexible entry criteria to unfairly
increase their enrolments, becoming in all but name all-ability schools. Excellent secondary schools
have been allowed to wither on the vine while the neighbouring grammar schools have reaped the
rewards. Even Cardinal Brady is reported to have described the situation as “totally unacceptable”
and to have said that it is happening “by stealth”. (“Irish News”, 14/02/12) Fine words, but we need
more than fine words.
If our school is allowed to close what will happen to the children who do not sit entrance tests or fail to
pass these tests? If our school is allowed to close and St Louis’ remains a grammar school then
institutional interests will have been allowed to win and the children of Mourne will be the losers.
Mr Mc Comb’s excellent article has thrown a much needed spotlight on what is happening in Kilkeel
and will resonate with all fair minded people. They too must make their voices heard. The
uncertainty that exists about what is going to happen to our schools must end. We call upon all those
to whom we look for moral leadership and good governance to make their views public and work for
the resolution of the situation in the best interests of all of the children of Mourne.
We believe that a clear statement of intent to merge and create one all-ability school is what is
required and required now.
We eagerly await the day when Mourne will have a new purpose built, all-ability school which will give
all of our children the facilities they have been denied for far too long.
Yours faithfully
Teresa Bardon
Michael Cleland
Paul Clements
Colette Cousins
Angela Crookes
Brenda Flanigan
Marian Hughes
Gerry Jones
Helen Kennedy
Akvillja Kirjanova
Rose Magill
Antoinette
McCartan
Margaret
McCartan
Gerry McCarthy
Sinead McClelland
Jackie McCrink
Helen McDonald
Fiona McGrath
Siobhan McGrath
Caroline McKay
Mary McPolin
Annie McQuillan
Paula McQuillan
Rosaleen Morgan
Cathy Mulholland
Leontia Munroe
Karen Murnion
Aloysius Murphy
Eddie O'Hagan
Jenny O'Hagan
Donal O'Neill
Nicola Parke
Concepta Phillips
Steven Poacher
Noreen Pryce
Aine Rooney
Melanie Skelcher
Ian Smyth
Maria Smyth
Wioletta Terebus
Fiona Turner