55 Students suspended in Moate Community School

TriangularGuy

I am shocked to find 55 students suspended in Moate Community School as a result of them peacefully protesting for what they believed. What sort of a message does this set for them when they are older?

munchkin_utd

TriangularGuy wrote: »

I am shocked to find 55 students suspended in Moate Community School as a result of them peacefully protesting for what they believed. What sort of a message does this set for them when they are older?

no idea of what youre on about, but "believeing" something does not automatically give you a ticket to break the law, or rules or cause damage or in general just decide that you can do whatever you feel like.

when you grow up you'll see this is called living in the real world

livedadream

TriangularGuy wrote: »

I am shocked to find 55 students suspended in Moate Community School as a result of them peacefully protesting for what they believed. What sort of a message does this set for them when they are older?

do you feel like elaborating at all...

your definition of peacefully protesting would be a good start

and what they believed as well would be great...

and one would hope that it set a message of stop ****ing around and do what your told or something along those lines...

TriangularGuy

No and that's not what these students done. The only school rule they broke was mitching 3 classes in order to sit silently, a common rule broken in that school which is punished with a warning or cleanup duty. These students were punished for having different views than the school.

Stheno

TriangularGuy wrote: »

No and that's not what these students done. The only school rule they broke was mitching 3 classes in order to sit silently, a common rule broken in that school which is punished with a warning or cleanup duty. These students were punished for having different views than the school.

So they skipped three classes and sat silently where, in protest at what?

stoplooklisten

What was their demands?

TriangularGuy

Ok so basically there had been a soccer tournament at the end of each school year going back at least 14 years when I was in 6th year. Their principle in school called off the tournament this year and students sat down on the courts for 3 classes.

stoplooklisten

Did he give reason for cancelling the tournament?

TriangularGuy

He wanted them to focus on their leaving cert, which is ironic given the number of people suspended.

stoplooklisten

TriangularGuy wrote: »

He wanted them to focus on their leaving cert, which is ironic given the number of people suspended.

Seems a reasonable demand from the principal. Imagine, in a few weeks, they'll be joining us in the real world.

munchkin_utd

stoplooklisten wrote: »

Seems a reasonable demand from the principal. Imagine, in a few weeks, they'll be joining us in the real world.

... or planning to repeat the leaving .

Teyla Emmagan

Good enough for them. A soccer tournament is a discretionary activity the school can cancel whenever they want. They're not there to accede to the demands of students in relation to recreational activities. If the students had been protesting about a valid issue relating to their education I would support them but not in relation to this idiocy. They should have found something more worthy to "believe in".

stoplooklisten

How did you get on with your legal challenge to wear jewelry OP?

readytosnap

Soccer? SOCCER?? you mean they play that foreign sport in the country? thought they were all gaa heads in that neck of the woods. they have been watching the Luas strikers on the telly I bet.

12Phase

stoplooklisten wrote: »

Seems a reasonable demand from the principal. Imagine, in a few weeks, they'll be joining us in the real world.

They could be going for jobs as Luas drivers though. In which case it's good preparation.

stoplooklisten

12Phase wrote: »

They could be going for jobs as Luas drivers though. In which case it's good preparation.

It'll be a while yet before the luas gets extended to moate.

TriangularGuy

I personality don't care to much for soccer but I do know protesting is Irish, look at the 1913 lockout etc. The right to Protest is in our constitution, and Many of the students involved had never been in trouble in the school before, many had there awards stripped from them the awards night that evening. What I am saying is isn't that a bit harsh of a punishment for having different views than the principle.

Lady is a tramp

Why didn't they just organise their own soccer tournament, outside of school hours?

Carlos Orange

TriangularGuy wrote: »

for having different views than the principle.

It sounds like nobody is being punished for having a different point of view.

h2005

Punished for mitching 3 classes seems pretty fair to me. Secondary school isn't a democracy.

TriangularGuy

TriangularGuy wrote: »

I am shocked to find 55 students suspended in Moate Community School as a result of them peacefully protesting for what they believed. What sort of a message does this set for them when they are older?

The message that rules are there for a reason and that breaking them will have serious consequences.

Choochtown

Imagine no punishment was seen to be dished out ...

A load of younger students decide next week that because there's no ice cream van at sports day they'll "strike" for an afternoon.

Wouldn't take long for discipline to break down altogether.

I would imagine the principal went out to reason with them, and found him/herself with no option in the end after they refused to come in.

Angron

I've edited two posts in this thread. TriangularGuy, you can't make unsubstantiated claims against the principal just because you don't agree with what they've done.

TriangularGuy

Well people have been caught mitching 3 classes to 3 days in a row and have not been suspended for mitching.. they were suspended for protesting.

jaykay74

Lady is a tramp wrote:

Why didn't they just organise their own soccer tournament, outside of school hours?

Certainly sounds like a constructive proposal.

TriangularGuy

definitely what they should have done. @Angron The principle is question received his free education from pretending he was going to be a priest.

jaykay74

TriangularGuy wrote:

definitely what they should have done. @Angron The principle is question received his free education from pretending he was going to be a priest.

Sounds like he should be tackled on issues like that then. Not some non mandatory football tournament.

Cool_CM

TriangularGuy wrote: »

What sort of a message does this set for them when they are older?

A pretty good one: that no means no. What were they expecting to happen?

TriangularGuy

Yes true but in the same way the principle has the right to call it off, don't the student have the right to protest that decision despite it having no affect. "Cool_CM" it has become clear from protests throughout our democracy Ireland that if one man says no that doesnt mean no. Enda Kenny

EagererBeaver

TriangularGuy wrote: »

Yes true but in the same way the principle has the right to call it off, don't the student have the right to protest that decision despite it having no affect. "Cool_CM" it has become clear from protests throughout our democracy Ireland that if one man says no that doesnt mean no. Enda Kenny

No, they don't. As somebody helpfully pointed out, school isn't a democracy.

As for attempting to compare this incident with the lockout...

Jayop

Deleted User wrote: »

The message that rules are there for a reason and that breaking them will have serious consequences.

So we should discourage independent thought and principles and try everything to have schools produce obedient little drones.

I know that's exactly what a certain section of our society would like but it's not what I like.


These kids had something taken from them, probably with no justification and no real reason. Extra-circular activities, especially sport are a great pressure release for kids coming up to their leaving and I would support their right to protest. If the teacher's only justification for this was to have them concentrate on the exams then suspend them is a farcical punishment.