Irish schools
From Miss C. M. E. Peck
Sir: Just what does George Gale mean by 'secularisation of Irish schools' when he says that the Churches "should agree to get out of education . . . Secularisation is the only long-term solution for Ireland"? He does not appear to know Irish school children: gang warfare exists in Belfast on non-sectarian lines, as elsewhere. Differences of interpretation of Christian ettats — never the ethics themselves — have been used by belligerent parties who wanted a fight anyway, but to make Christianity the causus belli of Ulster is totally wrong. A great deal of the fault lies in the teaching of history. If all school children could be taught the history of their country on parallel lines, there need not be this polarisation of heroes, with some kids shouting: "Up King Billy!" and others identifying with ,Cuculain and Finn MacCoul.
A Belfast youth club leader, the Rev Williamson, tells horrifying tales of Tartan and Skin-head gangs; on one occasion a boy chopped off another boy's fingers with an axe! It was not a sectarian fight at all. Take religion out of the schools and what little hold there is on these youngsters will be gone.
C. M. E. Peck Prehen House, Co. Londonderry
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