If you’d told me the biggest story from Budget 2025 was going to be Norma Foley’s campaign on Smartphones, I wouldn’t have believed you. However, her advisory team are either very clever or very stupid as “Pouch Plan” was launched. The less said about the budget the better but I needed to give some more rounded thoughts on why I think it’s all soundbite, no action.
However, nothing can forgive Foley’s advisors for trying their best to make her sound like she was down with the kids with a bluetooth joke that has to be read to believed.
The budget yielded nothing to help with the crisis in the teacher shortage, and it was interesting to read two articles in the last fortnight about some barriers into the profession. The first was from a trainee teacher who claims the Irish language is a barrier to working class people. It’s been met with dismay by many.
The second was from three Irish teachers who discuss the role of religion as a barrier. However, we shouldn’t worry for too much longer because, Minister Foley will save the day with another parent survey.
The defenders of the faith are doing everything in their power to stop their house of cards from falling by trying to make out that if religion goes then we’ll be teaching children pornography. The infamous video from the Natural Women’s Council had a very brief moment in the limelight before it turned out most of it wasn’t true or moral panic at best. It didn’t stop Norma Foley from having to defend the curriculum. I have to admit I felt sorry for her and it was really nice to get a glimpse of, what I think, was the real Norma.
With so much mud being slung, I thought I’d leave you with an article that caught my eye…about mud! Outdoor education is on the rise and this was a lovely article about it.
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