1. Equality in School Planning Cathal Kelly Presentation to Higher Diploma in Professional Eduation Studies NUI Galway, 23 June 2005

2. Legislation Employment Equality Act 1998 Equal Status Act 2000 Equality Act 2004 Education Act 1998 Education (Welfare) Act 2000 Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004

3. Purpose The equality legislation –Prohibits discrimination –Provides redress if it does occur –Promotes equality

4. Inequality – a few examples Women dismissed from jobs for being pregnant Refusal to enroll Travellers, children with disabilities, and Muslims in schools Gender patterns in subject take-up in second level Gay people harassed in the work place Black people denied rented accommodation Number of women or of people with disabilities who are senior managers

5. Equality Authority Promotes equality of opportunity Provides information to the public Monitors and reviews legislation Can undertake equal status reviews and prepare action plans Can assist in taking cases Can take certain cases on its own initiative

6. The Nine Grounds Gender Marital status Family status Age Disability Sexual orientation Race Membership of the Traveller community Religion

7. What is Required? Must not –discriminate –harass or sexually harass –victimise Must – provide reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities

8. What is allowed? May– take positive action

9. Educational Establishments The four aspects of education named in the Equal Status Acts: – Admission – Access to any course, facility or benefit – Any other term or condition of participation – Expulsion or any other sanction

10. Inclusive School Positive experiences and outcomes across all nine grounds A sense of ownership and belonging for all students and teachers Accommodates, celebrates and values diverse identities across all nine grounds

11. Equality Framework (1) Equality applies across four dimensions: 1 Redistribution: – Who participates in education? In this school? – Who participates in different courses, subjects, activities and different levels of subjects? – Who participates in class? – Who gets what out of education?

12. Equality Framework (2) 2 Socio-cultural: what messages are conveyed about different groups –in the content of what is taught? –in the messages conveyed by school practices?

13. Equality Framework (3 + 4) 3 Political domain: –Who makes decisions? –Who is consulted (before and after) decisions are made? –Is the full diversity of stakeholders involved? 4 Affective domain: Concerns relations between people of love, care and solidarity

14. A “Cube” Nine grounds Gender Marital status Family status Age Disability Race Sexual orientation Membership of the Traveller community Religion Aspects of school Admission Access to a course or other benefit Conditions of participation Application of sanctions Harassment Equality Redistribution Socio-cultural domain Decision making Solidarity

15. Example (1): Roma Mother tongue Previous educational attainment Parental experience of discrimination Culture: – “education” v. “schooling” –gender roles –dress and clothing v. school uniforms –school procedures

16. Example (2): Gender Subject choices School budget assigned to subjects Nature of classroom questions and feedback Uniform requirements Celebration of sporting achievements Language used – harassment School roles – e.g. in student council

17. Example (3): Gay & Lesbian Silence and invisibility “Slagging” Second-class status

18. An approach What happens to my mind-set if … … the language I use changes from “they” to “those of us who”

19. The Equality Authority 2 Clonmel Street Dublin 2 Tel: (01) 417 3333 Lo Call:1890 245 545 Text Phone:(01) 417 3385 Fax:(01) 417 3366 Email:info@equality.ie Website:http://www.equality.ie