Intercultural Education in the Post-Primary School - National Council ...

Legislation which provides a frameworkfor people to challenge discriminationincludes the Employment Equality Act(1998) and the Equal Status Act (2000).These make it illegal to discriminateagainst a person in employment, vocationaltraining, advertising, collective agreements,the provision of goods and services andother opportunities to which the publicgenerally have access, if the discriminationhappens on one of nine grounds. Thegrounds are gender, marital status, familystatus (having children or being a carer),age (between the ages of 18 and 65),disability, race, sexual orientation,religious belief, membership of theTraveller community.Much of Ireland’s policy framework foreducation has sought to promote equalityand interculturalism through education.The 1995 White Paper on Education–Charting our Education Future highlightsthat equality and pluralism are two of thekey considerations, which underpineducational policy. It also notes ‘thedemocratic character of this societyrequires education to embrace the diversetraditions, beliefs and values of its people’.These principles are also endorsed inschool curricula. The Primary SchoolCurriculum recognises the diversity ofbeliefs, values and aspirations of allreligious and cultural groupings in Irishsociety and acknowledges that it has a‘responsibility in promoting tolerance andrespect for diversity in both school and thecommunity’. This is reiterated in two ofthe aims and principles of the JuniorCertificate education which states,The Junior Certificate programme aims to• contribute to the moral and spiritualdevelopment of the young person and todevelop a tolerance and respect for thevalues and beliefs of others;10Intercultural Education in the Post-Primary School