Enoch Burke turns up to school again despite sacking - read OP before posting

Is transgenderism a protected characteric under the Equality Act? If so, he breaks the law by discrimination.

If not, what is all the fuss about? His behaviour is what is at issue, nothing to do with pronouns as far as I can make out anyway. He wants freedom of religion to be the backbone of his rejection of the pronouns, but he will not extend the same equality to the child at issue here in child's quest for correct pronouns (even though I know that's not why he was in jail). Double standards much?

It is easy to dismiss him and the family as being a bunch of fundamentalist loons, but who knows what side of history they are on? Depends on the Equality Act I think, but I could be wrong, I often am.

"Where Burke fell foul was that he applied his beliefs to someone else and in doing so contravened the schools rules. He tried to force his beliefs on others, that is not right"

But that is precisely what national schools throughout the state have been doing since the foundation of the state and before. Forcing religious beliefs, customs and morals onto young children, some of whose parents likely agreed and others who didn't. Why was and is it still OK for this to happen, whilst Burke is being censured for his mere choice of words when talking to his teenage students, according to his evangelical beliefs?? This is what is at the root of this issue, questions of religious discrimination, equality, hypocrisy.

Well, yeah, but every conflict or crime on the planet can be scaled down to a "difference of opinion'. At some point management or whoever as to step in. It's not anarchy.

Actually I found this an interesting question. While my sons ideals align with mine, I'm proud of him for standing up for himself, but not at the detriment of others. Principals (couldn't resist)

Is preaching non belief like you are here any different than preaching belief? You are still preaching your opinion on religion.

But what was being discussed when you quoted my post initially was the usefulness of religion, you find it of no use, but it is very obvious from the numbers of people who attend religious services and practise their faith, that it most certainly has a use for them. Most religious people don’t preach about it, they just do their thing. Where Burke went wrong is that he crossed a boundary and contravened school rules, the. exacerbated the situation by strongly voicing his objection to the principal in an inappropriate manner and place. While you and I might not agree or see merit in his religion, it is just as bigoted of you to say to others that religion is not important, or useful, just because it isn’t to you.

And no principles whatsoever.

I am not preaching non-belief, that is self cancelling nonsense. I have nothing to preach, I am pointing out the downfalls of faith overall. You say it gives some hope so that's grand. Most don't preach, but what they hear in churches from the pulpit informs their day to day in that it favours faith over reason. How can that be seen as a good thing is beyond me.

You can say my position is bigoted all you want, I don't "preach" any position but I call religious positions as I see them. I have enough experience from growing up in Ireland to see the extreme damage it has done to its people, and that is just in Ireland.

People living in faith and if it is important to them, fine. Just don't preach this dogma to those who don't share the same view. I am not telling you (or anyone) to not believe in God, so I prefer it when people don't tell me to believe in a God. It is very simple.

Same here, but this would have been the late 80s in my case, so that'd fairly predictable and irrelevant. Could also be arued that society HAS moved on from then. Times cane and it's an ill-advised system or organisation that refuses to move with them.

My point, though, was in reference to the point that management shouldn't have done anything., It's their job to do something - regardless of which side of the argument they take. Had they sided with Burke, there would have been uproar in the other direction about a school allowing a civil servant forcing his religious views on a child and they'd still be in the middle of a media strom.

Hot air and wind?

Whether the religious lunacy is Catholic, Protestant, Burkean, or anything else, it has no place whatsoever in schools.

Thankfully times have changed and the principal is in agreement with the child and their parents on the name and pronouns by which they should be addressed.

Burke refuses to apply the common courtesy and decency of addressing a person as they wish to be addressed. A minor, and a minor in a vulnerable position at that - while he is in a position of power over pupils and has a duty of care towards all pupils. Even the trans ones 🙄

That may be the case in privileged parts of Ireland where there has been and is a choice of schools.

But it most certainly has not been the day to day reality in rural Ireland, where there has been & often still is a choice of one local (Catholic ethos) national school and that's that. Like it or lump it.

Despite what the constitution may specify, children have been involuntarily forced or indoctrinated in Catholic religion through the primary school system. Full stop.

As I've repeatedly pointed out, it's curious how people accept this situation but rail against this Burke lad just because he has some other set of religious beliefs. And the right to follow his religious beliefs are at the core of his argument.

It gets better. The Irish Times report he spend the whole day standing out in the corridor 🤣. I remember being put outside the door for having the English translation of Peig in Irish class, so I understand the punishment.