Tánaiste: Enoch Burke case shows homeschooling risks isolation
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Tánaiste Micheál Martin has claimed the Enoch Burke case highlights why children should be educated in schools and not in the home.
In an interview with the Irish Examiner in New York, Mr Martin said he does not want to sound “patronising” but said he finds it “sad” and “disquieting” that the Burke family have found themselves in such a situation.
He said the saga, which has seen the teacher jailed, shows the importance of socialisation and that people should be educated in schools.
Mr Burke’s mother, Martina, a qualified teacher, home-schooled all her 10 children.
Mr Martin’s comments come after the High Court has ruled that Enoch Burke, now a former teacher at Wilson’s Hospital secondary school in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath, has a week to pay a fine of almost €24,000 for contempt of court or face action to enforce the payment.
The case, which has captured media attention across the world, began when Mr Burke objected to calling a transgender pupil by a new name and using the pronouns “they/them”.
Mr Martin said he believes there is a reason why the Burke family, from Castlebar, Co Mayo, have an “isolated perspective in life”.
“I find it very sad that a family finds themselves in that situation and that they have a very isolated perspective in life and everybody else is wrong,” said Mr Martin.
“And that always strikes me as that there’s a reason for all of that.
“I don’t want to comment too much but I think it does speak to the importance of socialisation, particularly in education, the idea that people should be educated in schools. I’m not a great fan of homeschooling. I think children need to socialise,” he said.
The Tánaiste, who travels to Boston today as part of St Patrick’s festivities, added: “I just find the whole thing disquieting. I find it sad at one level.”
Home-schoolers reacted furiously to Mr Martin’s comments.
Following the Tanaiste’s comments, Senator Pauline O’Reilly his criticised his attitude towards home-schooling.
The Green Party education spokeswoman said: “As a former chair of the largest home-schooling organisation in Ireland on the one hand, and a primary school on the other, I find the Tánaiste's comments disappointing.”
She said people opt for home-schooling for a variety of reasons including to avoid religious patronage or bullying.
“There are also many who are simply very well suited to home-schooling and flourish,” she said.
“The key here is for the Tánaiste to educate himself and to show tolerance and kindness towards young people whether they are in school or home-schooled.” The Burke siblings were all home-schooled, however, Ms O’Reilly rejected this link.
“The home-schooling community wants nothing to do with the Burkes. In fact, the Burkes have previously taken legal action against the community,” she said.
“When you think about it the majority of people who are extreme in their views, those on the hard right, have all gone through the school system, and yet we don't suggest that no one should go to school. So why suggest noone should be home-schooled."
Home Education Network chairwoman Lorna Tormey said blaming homeschooling for a lack of socialisation is a “very narrow view to take” and one family is not representative of the thousands of parents who chose to teach their children.
“It’s a very stereotypical view of home educators, that because I educate my children we are within the four walls of our home and we sit at the kitchen table and do our homeschooling and that’s not what it looks like, at all.” At the end of last year 1,931 children had been registered with Tusla for home tuition, while another 1,425 were on the list for assessment.
Monica O’Connor, who is a member of the Home Education Network, said the notion that children who are homeschooled have issues with socialisation or are isolated is “completely erroneous”.
“They don’t see that they can only socialise with their peers, they are equally comfortable with younger and older children and adults, they would start conversations with people,” said Ms O’Connor who has educated all of her children at home.”
Asked about Mr Martin’s comments, she said: “It’s coming from a place of absolute prejudice and ignorance. If you’ve spent any time with home educators, you will see that.” She pointed to Article 42 of the Constitution, which explicitly states that the family is the primary educator and parents have a “inalienable right” to provide education “in their homes or in private schools or in schools recognised or established by the State”.