US Embassy works with DCU to Highlight Issues of Educational Inclusion

DCM Robert Faucher, DCU President Ferdinand von Prondzynski and James Banks

Irish Minister of Education, Mary Hanafin, opened a two day seminar held at Dublin City University to discuss issues surrounding the need to have educational opportunities available to everyone.  The seminar which was co-sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and Dublin City University addressed such key issues as reaching people who have English as a second language, including people with religious and cultural differences, homophobia in schools, etc.  The conference brought together speakers from the U.S. and Ireland as well as discussing the research that came out of the EU-funded Include Ed program.  In addition to the keynote speech by Minister Hanafin, DCU President Ferdinand von Prondzynski and US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Robert Faucher, gave welcoming remarks.  The event was closed by the Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan.  Minister Lenihan discussed approaches, which the government will be making to assure better inclusion for the new immigrant communities in Ireland.

Baroness May Blood, who is the leading proponent of integrated schooling for Northern Ireland, talked about the current educational challenges facing the newly devolved government in Northern Ireland.  Although hopeful, she expressed concern that there was still much to be done to achieve a truly inclusive educational system in Northern Ireland.

Victoria Baldwin addressing the conference

The U.S. Embassy brought over two speakers from the United States to address the seminar.  James Banks, a leading expert on diversity, talked about education as a road to achieving a fairer and more tolerant citizenry.  He also talked about the immigration and integration as a global rather than regional issue.  Victoria Baldwin, founder and principle of one of the most successful alternative schools in Texas, talked about ways to reach students who were likely to drop out of school for a variety of reasons and put them back on a road to success.

Among the Irish participants were Paul Rowe, Chief Executive of Educate Together, the National Representative Organization for Multi-denominational Schools, and Philip Watt, the Director of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism.  Dr. Carmel Mulcahy of DCU presented the findings from the studies funded by EU Include Ed program.