This week we talk about the divestment of the first Catholic school to Educate Together, followed by the findings of the Grace report, indicating a discrepancy between the religious beliefs of teachers and their roles in Catholic schools. While one commentator blames the teachers, another blames the whole Catholic community.
Next, I discuss the Polish government’s ban on homework for primary students, questioning the relevance and format of homework in Ireland’s education system. I haven’t changed my stance since I recorded my podcast on the topic several years ago!
https://anseo.captivate.fm/episode/episode-39-scrap-homework
Lastly, I confess to warming to Minister Norma Foley’s stance against smartphones in schools, advocating for a broader approach that includes legislation to protect children from harmful content. While I don’t believe it’s the school’s role to lead on it, I’m very nervous of what the future generation is going to look like if we all don’t do something.
- 01:06 The Good Grace Report: A Deep Dive into Religious Control and Education
- 05:37 The Shocking Reality: Teachers’ Beliefs vs. Catholic School Ethos
- 18:27 Rethinking Homework: Lessons from Poland’s Bold Move
- 24:44 Smartphone Ban Debate: A Necessary Measure for Child Safety?
- 30:20 Wrapping Up: Reflecting on Education, Religion, and Technology
Transcript
MacBook Pro Microphone & FaceTime HD Camera-6:
Hello?
2
:Hello.
3
:You're very welcome to if I were the
minister for education, a regular
4
:podcast, where I go into the world
of primary education in Ireland.
5
:And let's, what I would do
if I were the minister for
6
:education, this is Simon Lewis.
7
:On today's show good grace, the
future of primary education in
8
:Ireland, Poland band's homework.
9
:So should we, and why I'm warming
to Norma Foley's smartphone ban.
10
:If you are interested in subscribing to
the podcast, you can go to any of your
11
:podcasting apps and subscribe to if I
were the minister for education, you can
12
:also find out more from on shot dot Nash.
13
:Where you can tune in to add the
puncture podcast notes and you can
14
:subscribe to at the new stature that
I sent out every two weeks with more
15
:views and news, and also some ICT tips.
16
:I also share, and I also share some
extra bits and pieces on my Feedly
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:kind of Irish education news, which
you can search for as well on Feedly.
18
:Where I scour the internet for stories
about the education system in Ireland.
19
:So let's get on with it today on go to
our first story, which is the, which
20
:is called good grace and give you a
little bit of a background before we
21
:get on with things which started off.
22
:The last, a few weeks in primary
school education have been quite
23
:interesting if you're interested in
patronage and religious control of
24
:schools, because for the very first
time, After 13 years after it's it's
25
:launched the patronage imperialism.
26
:System.
27
:Or project.
28
:Garnered its first educate together school
to be divested from a Catholic school.
29
:This would seem amazing to most people
who think, there's a huge number of people
30
:in Ireland that believe that there's
loads of educated kids cause, and they're
31
:growing and the Catholic church are
handing over schools to educate together.
32
:I bet, but actually the very,
very first open Catholic school.
33
:So not a disused Catholic school was
handed over by the Catholic church to
34
:educate together for the very first
time in:
35
:After the patrons and pluralism forum.
36
:It was launched.
37
:Many of you would say, ah, yeah,
but Lots of schools have opened.
38
:The real truth is.
39
:Fewer than 20 schools have transferred
over from the Catholic church to
40
:multi-denominational providers.
41
:Most of the 20 schools that
have Transferred over were
42
:schools that were closing.
43
:They might've had six
students or eight students.
44
:At most.
45
:Most commonly so some of you might be
living in county, Kerry by temperature.
46
:We've had four schools.
47
:A hundred owed from the Catholic
church in the last five or six years.
48
:Yes.
49
:And all four of those indeed
were handed over by the Bishop
50
:to the community national school.
51
:But all of those NGOs are
very small schools that we're
52
:probably going to close.
53
:And don't exactly.
54
:Aren't exactly what you would
call the, the intentions that
55
:divestment was, which was two.
56
:Ah, divest.
57
:I suppose mainly in urban
areas at big schools or as.
58
:As in, from Catholic patronage over to
educate together or to this community
59
:national school and the community kind
of national school pretty much has had
60
:the monopoly on being paid back divested
to, there was one girl Scott as well.
61
:Got divest to and Tala, but really this
is a functioning Catholic school that
62
:has moved over to educate together.
63
:And I say this as the backdrop.
64
:Really in a way, because, um, there's
a lot of perceptions out there about
65
:multi-denominational education in Ireland.
66
:Insofar as that people think there's a
lot more of it than there actually is.
67
:And I think they may think that I suppose
maybe because these small bodies have
68
:loud voices, there's been a lot of public.
69
:I suppose a lot of public pressure.
70
:To, lessen the amount of influence the
Catholic church and other religious
71
:bodies have on the patronage system.
72
:96% of primary schools still are under
a religious control nine about 89.7%.
73
:Now.
74
:To the Catholic church and.
75
:I guess there's a, there's been a lot of,
it has been a huge appetite as Ireland.
76
:As Ireland, as a society
becomes less religious.
77
:The last census,:69% of the entire country
78
:even identifies as Catholic.
79
:And we asked we have 90% of the schools.
80
:And if you even go bed down at the
figures a little bit more, if you're
81
:aged, I think it was at age 25 to 29
in the last census, which is basically.
82
:The age people, these people
will be becoming parents.
83
:Now only 53% of them identify as Catholic.
84
:So we're coming into this
kind of weird misnomer.
85
:Have a system where, you know,
a lot of half of the people.
86
:In the schools no longer identify as the
religion of those schools were not the
87
:country that my mother and on many liker.
88
:I remember my mom saying
to me when I was young.
89
:That Arden's is a country of
95% Catholics, 5% Protestants.
90
:And the rest of us are Jewish Ash.
91
:That was hurtful.
92
:One of her wonderful little jokes.
93
:And I wish that she, it
was it's changed now.
94
:The, this country has changed immensely.
95
:We have the fastest growing belief system.
96
:If we can call it that is
atheism or no religion.
97
:And Our schools are very happy
very slow to adapt to that.
98
:And I guess, this is this has
been made even, more pointed.
99
:By study.
100
:That just came out last week,
called the grace report.
101
:Now the grace report has always be, is a.
102
:Is from Mary immaculate college, a very F.
103
:I know it's a very Catholic
university in Limerick.
104
:It's the teacher training college at
Catholic teacher training college on
105
:every so often they come out with reports.
106
:Which are very good.
107
:And this one is no different.
108
:They basically surveyed over four
thousands of massive study, 4,000
109
:teachers in Catholic schools.
110
:And I remember when this came out,
I was puzzled by why they were only
111
:serving coffee survey and Catholic.
112
:Teachers, but I'm very glad they did
because the results of that study.
113
:The results of that study
were really interesting.
114
:And there was, there were.
115
:And I guess you can S if you're watching
on my screen here, if you're tuned
116
:in, on YouTube you'll see that, but
if you're not the Irish time gives
117
:the headline from that great support.
118
:Basically younger teachers in Catholic
schools are less likely to believe
119
:in God or attend religious services.
120
:This study has, caused shockwaves,
despite it not being shocking news.
121
:I think if you worked in an Irish
primary school these days, the number
122
:of people who would, work in Catholic
schools and say, oh yes, I'm a
123
:practicing Catholic and their interview
and all the polls, ethos and so on.
124
:But in reality, in the staffroom.
125
:Most of the T you know
many of the teachers.
126
:Absolutely reject a lot
of Catholic teaching.
127
:There's very few.
128
:Irish teachers who.
129
:Don't live in sin in inverted
commas, or would have a problem
130
:with someone cohabitation.
131
:There is a very few Irish, like
most Irish people in society.
132
:That would frowned upon someone who
was divorced or going through divorce.
133
:There's very few.
134
:Irish primary school teachers, I
would imagine who would be not using
135
:contraception and things like that.
136
:And of course,
137
:Plenty of Irish primary school teachers.
138
:Who are gay and you've got plenty of our
school teachers who would believe in.
139
:Abortion rights for women.
140
:And essentially, I suppose
it came as no surprise.
141
:What so ever.
142
:To me anyway, at least
that That most that on.
143
:At least half of primary
school teachers in Ireland.
144
:Do not practice the Catholic faith
and they are teaching children.
145
:They're teaching children the
Catholic faith, not as a subject,
146
:but they're passing on that
faith to children, their job.
147
:And I think people forget this.
148
:A lot of people.
149
:And I think maybe it is it's.
150
:This is all part of it too.
151
:I think people forget that if you are
a teacher in a Catholic school, your
152
:main thing, the main thing that you
were supposed to do that's to permeate
153
:throughout the school day is that you
are supposed to pass on the word of
154
:God, to those children in your care.
155
:And I think a lot of Irish primary school
teachers even reject that and say, oh
156
:no, we don't do any of that anymore.
157
:But the thing is, that's
what you're supposed to do.
158
:And in some ways it very much ties in.
159
:I know, I think I've had plenty.
160
:Of arguments over the years.
161
:With teachers who say, put
out the reality on the ground.
162
:Sometimes we don't do any of that.
163
:Try, barely teach religion,
or I barely do this.
164
:And sheriff.
165
:Couldn't a sec that never happens
in the staffroom and so on.
166
:And their problem.
167
:And I suppose there, and I guess what this
leaves us in a situation is you've got.
168
:Expectations from your patron bodies,
that you will be upholding the
169
:ethos, which is passing on the word
of God, to the children, praying
170
:with the children, believing PA
I know this guy, I was sent this.
171
:A really good video from a friend of
mine by a guy called Robert Nugent.
172
:Who's a lovely guy or
very nice, funny enough.
173
:It's a weird I, it was
sent to me by someone.
174
:And this guy, Robert Nugent, I actually I.
175
:I've met him a couple of times.
176
:I was really good friends with
his sister in college, and I
177
:was actually at the wedding at.
178
:I at my friend's wedding where I've
left to where I met him last, but
179
:he's somebody who's really strongly
Catholic and really deep in his faith.
180
:And he's really, he.
181
:This study.
182
:Has really made genuine Catholics
very cross because they believe.
183
:You know that if you were to be
a Catholic school, you should
184
:be a genuinely Catholic school.
185
:I'm not just some sort of a, I
know this term is as, is banded
186
:about a bouncy castle Catholic,
because it's very disrespectful.
187
:To genuine Catholics the way I suppose.
188
:Their religion is being treated, in
some ways, it's abuse, a Bible story.
189
:It reminds me, I remember when I was young
though, I went to a Jewish school and we
190
:would have been learning about the Bible.
191
:There was a story, and I
remember fairly clearly.
192
:It was the golden calf in the Bible.
193
:So I can't, I like my memory's
a bit hazy, but I think Moses.
194
:Is it Moses probably Moses went up to
Mount Sinai to meet God as one does.
195
:And when he came down he saw that
the Israelites were worshiping this,
196
:they built a golden calf and they
were worshiping this golden calf.
197
:And I suppose the analogy of that
story is that they had taken this,
198
:relay their religion, and they
had essentially made a false idol.
199
:And I think in some ways this is
what's happened with Catholicism
200
:in schools such no one is taking
it very seriously anymore.
201
:And the golden calf essentially
are the sacraments that people are
202
:essentially sending their kids to.
203
:Catholic schools, they're outsourcing
their religion and to schools.
204
:So they're asking schools to
essentially do do the religious
205
:parts of a couple of big parties.
206
:They like the idea of the communion.
207
:They liked the idea of the
confirmation, but they don't really
208
:like the idea of the religion.
209
:And it's a very odd thing there.
210
:Almost made a culture of it.
211
:And in fairness the Catholic church have
turned a blind eye to this for many years.
212
:And.
213
:Rightly, I think a genuine
Catholics are very angry.
214
:At their church leaders for allowing
their faith to be essentially desecrated
215
:by people who don't care about us.
216
:And they're left in this
sort of situation where they
217
:effectively have a school system.
218
:That isn't really Catholic,
but it's Catholic only a name.
219
:You have essentially a lot of their
missionaries, their teachers, which
220
:that's, they're supposed to be
missionaries for the Catholic church.
221
:They're missionaries.
222
:Our essentially unbelievers.
223
:Teaching.
224
:I suppose a lot of people who are
unbelievers because again, very less than
225
:30% of the population even go to mass.
226
:So you've got unbelievers.
227
:Teaching unbelievers.
228
:To believe.
229
:In some way.
230
:It just doesn't make sense.
231
:And that's my, as this guy,
Robert knew Robert Mnuchin
232
:said faith is not subject to.
233
:I mean in the last few, the last number
of weeks, I've heard people saying,
234
:these people should just get on with it.
235
:If you're teaching in a Catholic
school, you get on with it.
236
:You teach the religion, even if you
don't believe in it, or you should
237
:be able to teach the religion,
even if you don't believe in it.
238
:And I thought that line faith
is not a subject was really
239
:a really clever sentence.
240
:I.
241
:I really liked it.
242
:And it sums things up to me.
243
:And I think the Catholic church
have a lot of thinking to do.
244
:I've spoke spoken to a few friends of mine
and a few people online about this who are
245
:genuine Catholics, who I call genuine Cox.
246
:They believe in their
faith really strongly.
247
:And and I really, I enjoy these
conversations because they really
248
:th these are intelligent people.
249
:If you really think about their faith
at large and live their faith every
250
:day, And they're, they're angry.
251
:They're really the one
thing they have in common.
252
:Most of them anyway is a really
angry at their own church in a way
253
:at themselves, in some ways that
they've allowed this to happen.
254
:But the main thing they all agree on is
we have way too many Catholic schools.
255
:We've lost our way.
256
:We need a space for genuine Catholics
to be genuine Catholics and to
257
:be unapologetically Catholic.
258
:So a lot of the rhetoric right now from.
259
:These people here is, I don't know
this guy, but he wrote her a letter
260
:in the this is a guy Alexander
O'Hara and the times he was really
261
:angry about the about these results.
262
:And he actually was blaming
teachers for not passing on
263
:the faith and none done that.
264
:That does parents will be rightly
disgusted, but parents aren't rightly
265
:disgusted thing is they're sending
their children to Catholic schools.
266
:Not because they believe in
the Catholic faith that much.
267
:And in fact, we the Genesis support for
is, again, an in-house Catholic survey.
268
:Only 9% of parents actually send
their children to Catholic primary
269
:schools because they're Catholic.
270
:And, the, all the other reasons were more
and more important at the NATA only 9%
271
:because they were genuinely Catholics.
272
:So we have a kind of a situation
which is a gas on surprising.
273
:To, to most people.
274
:And this it's so unsurprising.
275
:He was actually looking at a study
from:
276
:the Irish primary principal's network.
277
:I won the IPN.
278
:We're doing really interesting things,
one of the things was they were talking
279
:about right at the road of religion
and education, even back then, this
280
:is just after the publication of the
forum of current ism and patronage.
281
:And what I found really interesting
from their study on this was at dosh.
282
:Most people they stood, they surveyed,
again, thousands of people most believed
283
:there needed to be less influence.
284
:Our religion and education,
there should be schools should be
285
:multi-denominational was the was a result.
286
:However, most people believe sacraments.
287
:Most parents, this is a study of parents.
288
:And so on, those parents wanted that.
289
:Should there should be
multi-denominational schools.
290
:They said they also wanted to
sacraments to happen in school.
291
:So it was a bit of a paradox.
292
:Shall we say, and this and in some ways,
That, that, that gives me the message.
293
:The parents don't actually,
they, I actually the sacraments
294
:and they want to put, they don't
want to put in any of the work.
295
:To raise her children
and for those documents.
296
:And they have as I said, made a
golden calf of the situation and
297
:we'll see this, as we move into into
the month of may, which is, even.
298
:I'm saying this now that it's already
in Ireland is known as communion season.
299
:And what you'll see there
is parents are stressing.
300
:Not over religious things, but
over being able to get a bouncy
301
:castle, getting their house ready,
losing weight for the big day.
302
:And things like that it's.
303
:They've turned, religious very serious
sacraments where you're promising
304
:a priest that you are continuing
your journey through Catholicism.
305
:They have turned this
into, a secular wedding.
306
:In a way that I don't
mean Sackler in a bad way.
307
:There is nothing Catholic about the
communion and confirmation anymore.
308
:I see that as a very sad thing.
309
:For genuine Catholics as someone
with no skin in the game.
310
:I've, I have I just feel very
I can understand why they're,
311
:why they would be disillusioned.
312
:And I wrote an unpublished
letter to the Irish times saying
313
:that, this isn't surprising.
314
:And I think essentially the Irish
education system, the Catholic
315
:education system is really has
been built on a foundation of
316
:bouncy castles and helium balloons.
317
:Really in the last 20 years,
really just full of hot air.
318
:And no substance.
319
:And of course I said, then that genuine
Catholics must be very deflated.
320
:See, I'm good at these ponds.
321
:I'm a real dad joke here.
322
:But I think really, . It's
something to reflect on.
323
:I think the future of Irish
education, this is really, sent
324
:shockwaves though it shouldn't have
it's there in black and white now
325
:that teachers under the age of 50.
326
:Um, only 41% of them.
327
:Even do.
328
:Religion.
329
:Once a week in their classroom,
that's shocking and wrong.
330
:And if you're going to teach in
a Catholic school, I just feel
331
:you should, if you should do it.
332
:But if you don't believe in
it, how can you, faith is not
333
:a subject and Under just 51%.
334
:I'd say sorry, 49%.
335
:Say they're not committed
to practicing Catholics.
336
:Half teachers do not
believe in a personal God.
337
:It's pretty bad.
338
:I think it was an 18 or 19%.
339
:Essentially say that they don't
go to church, except for being
340
:a big days or whatever it is.
341
:So it's.
342
:It's pretty bleak.
343
:If you are leading Catholic churches
and that half of your missionaries,
344
:don't believe in the message something's
going to have to happen and it's
345
:going to have to happen quickly.
346
:This may be good news.
347
:We're weirding of, for the government.
348
:Who are hopelessly and doing nothing about
the whole thing because it's because they.
349
:When something is hard, do nothing
was, I think Richard Nixon's mode
350
:apparatus, and I think the government's.
351
:We're certainly doing that or not.
352
:Read Richard Nixon.
353
:It was running Ronald
Reagan in the states.
354
:And this might push forward
their plan to divest 400 schools.
355
:I think the whole divestments
The program is it's just useless.
356
:It doesn't work.
357
:We need a better system.
358
:I'm putting myself out
there to anyone listening.
359
:If they are that I have the solution.
360
:And I'd love to do it.
361
:I think we need we, it starts with a
big thinking with the stakeholders.
362
:I would love to run that because I
genuinely think we can get the answer
363
:together if we all work together.
364
:And we really dig deep
about our commonalities.
365
:And I think we can come up with an
education system that works for everybody.
366
:Anyway.
367
:Speaking of governments at the Polish
government got in the Irish news because
368
:they got rid of homework at primary school
level I'm much like Ireland does as dead
369
:again, don't nothing really interestingly,
the Polish governments at do have a say
370
:in what happens in their education system.
371
:Unlike Ireland.
372
:Where we have a department of education
who doesn't, who has very little
373
:say in what goes on in classrooms,
they have, they provide education.
374
:They provide for education.
375
:They don't provide education,
the department of education,
376
:or they provide for it.
377
:So they give money to private bodies.
378
:Such as the Catholic church.
379
:To provide education and they don't
really have a say on homework and
380
:they never ever give a comment
on us, but essentially the, this.
381
:The district is a very
long article by Liam Nolan.
382
:About Poland, the Polish government.
383
:Getting rid of homework.
384
:It led to it didn't actually
lead to much discussion.
385
:I really thought I'd be on every
radio station talking about this.
386
:But I think in some ways, The
topic of homework has been
387
:done to death in Ireland.
388
:And in some ways there's a
sort of a general agreement
389
:amongst most people that.
390
:You either wanted.
391
:Very much or you don't
want such very much.
392
:So it's very polarized.
393
:So if the likes of the
journalist Jan Hogan campaigning.
394
:From a parent point of view saying she
hates homework and she wants a band.
395
:Because she's very busy.
396
:And then you've got other parents
who are saying, no, we need homework.
397
:Cause we don't know what's
going on in schools.
398
:And they could be doing anything in there.
399
:Kind of stuff.
400
:And we want to know what's going on all
flavors in between radio, I've been going
401
:on a journey with homework for many years.
402
:I did a podcast about it, maybe I
think five years ago where I concluded.
403
:Still where I am at the moment.
404
:That I don't see the points of traditional
homework in Irish primary schools.
405
:We need to re-imagine homework for
the 21st century and whether we should
406
:have number one, whether we should
have it at all, or if we are to have
407
:homework, what does it look like?
408
:And I've always, I suppose I
came to the conclusion very
409
:much from a good study there.
410
:A number of years ago about homework.
411
:If we were to have homework, you
should have, it should involve choice.
412
:It should be personalized.
413
:And when I say choice, by the way
the choice to do it or not do it.
414
:Choice around the topic of what it
is and make sure it's of interest.
415
:If it's a, it can't be just,
it needs to be thoughtful.
416
:It needs to be meaningful.
417
:And so on.
418
:So there's a lot of
questions around homework.
419
:That needs to be answered and
we still haven't really had
420
:a proper discussion about it.
421
:And again, similarly to
religion in schools, I think.
422
:When it comes to homework in our
schools, We need to re-examine.
423
:Properly what it looks like.
424
:We need to talk about it.
425
:We need to look at the studies that
are there, bring people together
426
:and, decide what does homework look
like in Ireland in the 21st century?
427
:Should it be project-based if we
have it, should we have it at all?
428
:There's all these, I suppose
there's all these big questions.
429
:In potent, if people are interested and
the news of it's essentially being decreed
430
:by the Polish government has been mass.
431
:On surprisingly.
432
:With people being very happy and
people have been very sad about it.
433
:David interviewed parents,
they interviewed children.
434
:They interviewed teachers.
435
:From both sides of the equation.
436
:And predictably.
437
:As I said, both of both sides.
438
:Our representatives but.
439
:I would think.
440
:Not very much deep thinking about it,
it's the same sort of arguments you'll
441
:that you'll hear in RNN from most people.
442
:I it's good to practice what you do
in school or it's a waste of time.
443
:We should be, children's would
be out playing, they're not very
444
:deep thoughts about homework.
445
:We have to, we have to really think
more deeply about what the benefit is.
446
:And Of one homework.
447
:What does homework mean anymore?
448
:And, has the word become so poisonous
that we need to change it to something
449
:else that accurately reflects what it is?
450
:Children essentially assessing themselves.
451
:Is there something I need to
practice that I didn't get in school?
452
:So the teacher might say, let's
just pick a very simple example.
453
:Because I want to go more through
the thought process rather than
454
:the actual content of the homework.
455
:So your times tables being.
456
:Let's pick something controversial.
457
:Okay.
458
:A teacher let's say, and I'm not
saying this is good or anything
459
:like that, but let's say the teacher
is teaching the five times tables.
460
:And you're a child in our
class who goes, yeah, got it.
461
:And, There's no point in
you being given a sheet of.
462
:A hundred, five times tables on
a sheet of paper that you have to
463
:fill out because you're not learning
anything new because you've got it.
464
:Equally, there's no point in
you going home and practicing
465
:them because you've got it.
466
:However, if you are a child who's
just struggling a little bit, you've,
467
:you just, you've got some of them.
468
:You've got the easy ones that say
the easy ones in inverted commas, but
469
:there's a few that you don't know.
470
:Dan, is it a good idea for
you to practice them at home?
471
:And I would suggest it probably is because
it is something you will need to know.
472
:In life you will, it is handy to know.
473
:Your multiplication facts.
474
:And if you haven't got them, it
would make sense to me that you
475
:might practice them at home.
476
:And you can do that in lots
and lots of different ways.
477
:And I'm just saying.
478
:These things aren't black and
white, E individual kids needs to.
479
:I need to assess where they're
at in a particular thing.
480
:And then do it.
481
:Let's pick a different example.
482
:Let's say a project on the Vikings
because everyone does projects on Vikings.
483
:How are you going to present that project?
484
:Okay.
485
:So might say, you know what, I
don't fancy doing that project
486
:and that should be fine.
487
:Some of them might be going to, I've
always wondered what food Vikings eat.
488
:Go off and find out.
489
:Another kid might going.
490
:Joel.
491
:I really to, I'd love to build a
long boat or I'd like to make a
492
:shield or I'd like to make a helmet.
493
:That's the kind of stuff I
think we should be looking at.
494
:When we're talking about
homework, we need to give choice.
495
:We need to make it meaningful.
496
:And we need to make sure that, people
are working with their own novel.
497
:What will make this useful?
498
:I would love.
499
:For example, the one who's making is
how much might be showing off, His
500
:is his or her skills in in design.
501
:And do you know or what
made the helmet you.
502
:It wasn't a good design for a
helmet, I was not the helmet at all.
503
:We, I think we all could picture a
Viking helmet in our heads there,
504
:but while it's that, what it actually
looked like, there is a question
505
:that you might do for your homework.
506
:I don't know.
507
:I might do it for my homework.
508
:I'm curious, now that I'm saying it.
509
:There's lots and lots
of talk about homework.
510
:I think it's an interesting topic.
511
:I think we need to think more deeply
about these things and maybe I'm
512
:coming up with a theme here because
I've been thinking a little bit more
513
:deeply about smartphones and their use.
514
:For young people now.
515
:I haven't changed my mind in that.
516
:I think it's ridiculous for
a child to own a smartphone.
517
:It's it's dangerous.
518
:I've.
519
:I've I've I've compared it to
giving a child a gun, essentially
520
:your I, wounds, you give a child
as smartphone for themselves.
521
:You are essentially taking away
their innocence and you are
522
:giving them access to things.
523
:They should not be a, they should not
have, I haven't changed my mind on that.
524
:What I was most annoyed about.
525
:Was at the minister for education Norma
Foley essentially asking schools to
526
:manage this, um, this whole situation.
527
:And if you remember from, it's always in.
528
:I guess there I've been doing this.
529
:My newsletter for, I think
I'm on the 10th newsletter.
530
:And I'd say eight out of 10 of
them have mentioned Norma Foley's.
531
:Who's the minister for education.
532
:Crusade against smartphone
use and open till now.
533
:It's really she's been weak.
534
:I feel.
535
:Basically, these social contracts.
536
:With parents signing these, social
contracts with their schools on
537
:getting schools to bond smartphones.
538
:It's because there's not a
single school in the country.
539
:I don't think that had I was allowing the
use of smartphones during the school day.
540
:I know I was disappointed by that.
541
:And I was critical of her and, for
really doing nothing particularly useful.
542
:My, my argument really was that.
543
:There's no point in getting
schools to do these things.
544
:You need to be stronger.
545
:And you need to be talking to parents.
546
:You need to be talking to the people
who make the smartphones or sound smart.
547
:You need to be talking to the social media
companies where a lot of this dangerous
548
:stuff is happening, where, for example,
on Tik TOK or Snapchat or any of the
549
:other ones, it's not just designing to
those, but Tik TOK and Snapchat are the
550
:two of the more popular apps for children.
551
:That if the algorithm there is
essentially, if you're a, if
552
:you're an unknown, I just want
to go back to an article there.
553
:Sorry.
554
:It's this one.
555
:Particularly teenage
boys are being bombarded.
556
:So if they, if Tik TOK knows
or YouTube knows that you are a
557
:teenage boy, You within minutes are
getting misogynistic and violent.
558
:Content on your phone, you're
getting as to which is just not okay.
559
:And that influences young males
to believe those messages, these
560
:violent messages are from our
messages, toxic sort of anti-feminist
561
:messages and real extreme messages,
pornography, all this sorts of stuff.
562
:And that doesn't happen by accident.
563
:And there's a guy and I haven't
got it here on my screen, but
564
:there's a guy who's involved and
I don't know his organization.
565
:I actually used to play
tennis with them as a kid.
566
:His name is Johnny Ryan.
567
:And he, I think he wrote a
book years and years ago.
568
:And I was like, oh, I play tennis
with that guy, but he's become very
569
:big in the idea of I think internet
security and things like that.
570
:Well-respected personality
in terms of technology.
571
:He believes, he says, I think there
was a program and he said that these
572
:algorithms could be switched off tomorrow.
573
:Where you are fed.
574
:This information, depending on your age
and your gender and all the rest of us
575
:girls I suppose it goes into the article.
576
:I don't know.
577
:Girls are being bombarded with
self-harming videos and things like that.
578
:It's really gross when you
think of it, like really.
579
:I'm really worrying.
580
:I suppose so, nobody knows that this, none
of this is surprising and none of this.
581
:You know, his And it should
be surprising to anybody yet.
582
:Parents are still buying their
children's smartphones and children
583
:are allowing their kids to access.
584
:Content.
585
:Ah, that is amazing.
586
:There's, I think the, in India, UK,
Something like 30% or 30 to 40% of
587
:children aged five to seven, have
their own social media accounts
588
:on things like Snapchat, Tik, TOK.
589
:That's not it.
590
:It's absolutely not.
591
:And because there are, because they're
under 13, they have to pretend they're 13.
592
:So they're getting this
misogynistic, they're getting this.
593
:Aggressive.
594
:They're getting the sexualized content to
their phones to five to seven year olds.
595
:So going back to Norma Foley.
596
:Going back to normal Foley,
I suppose what I'm doing.
597
:I guess I'm saying I'm warming.
598
:To her crusade is because she
is starting to move away from
599
:asking schools to deal with it.
600
:And she is putting it up to the companies.
601
:What I would suggest is the next step.
602
:For the minister on.
603
:And her entree government partners
really is to start putting in
604
:laws and start paving the way.
605
:For laws that much a someone under
18 shouldn't be allowed to have
606
:alcohol on their person or shouldn't
have a cigarette on their person.
607
:They shouldn't have.
608
:A smartphone on their person.
609
:And if they are.
610
:The responsibility lies with the
person who sold at dot item two.
611
:The child or to the adult who has
bought it for the child, that's
612
:where we need to move to it.
613
:I just can't.
614
:I.
615
:I did a lot of things.
616
:I don't understand.
617
:And in my day, the big thing was
parents buying 18 videos for their
618
:young children to watch in their highs.
619
:This is worse.
620
:This is absolutely where it's.
621
:This is basically.
622
:Buying you're buying your child to go and
activate, it's so dangerous and it's and
623
:it's not have the parental controls even.
624
:Oh, it is exacerbating.
625
:So I am warming to the idea,
but y I'm warming to it.
626
:Isn't.
627
:I suppose there's an education on the
way I'm warming to it, because I suppose
628
:the minister is moving away from getting
schools to deal with the problem, to
629
:getting, to actually putting in the laws
and to actually do something about this.
630
:So look, they are my three stories
for today at the good grace report
631
:which I think has sent shock waves
to genuine Catholics and rightly and
632
:hopefully this will spark some change.
633
:I've got loads of other stories relating
to the role of religion in education.
634
:Our.
635
:On in the newsletter, which you can sign
up to by going to onshore.net/subscribe.
636
:And I've also obviously a podcast
there on homework which is a good
637
:number of years old at this stage.
638
:But it's still relevant, I think.
639
:And the smartphone bond really, I suppose
we're going to have to think of a little
640
:I suppose I'm going to think more on
that and maybe publish a few articles on
641
:why I'm warming to the idea of a band.
642
:Look, if you've enjoyed at this
episode, please do subscribe on
643
:your favorite podcasting app or that
Spotify or what is apple podcasts?
644
:I think it's called or any of
the other podcasts and things.
645
:I use a snipped.
646
:Recently I've moved from Castbox
to snipped, which I quite like.
647
:For listening to my own podcast to
listen to podcasts around the country.
648
:All the show notes from this podcast
will be available on shot dot Nash.
649
:Right now, if you're a, if you're
there on, on shot dot Nash.
650
:Go ahead and get to it.
651
:And as a society, if you are
listening or watching this on YouTube,
652
:please add, give a review because
it helps other people to find it.
653
:And please recommend it to
your friends and family.
654
:And that's it for me.
655
:Thanks so much for listening.
656
:All the very best take care.
657
:Bye-bye.