School cancels homophobic bullying workshop because 'both sides should be represented'
A Dublin school has cancelled a workshop on homophobic bullying because the the Board of Management had allegedly decided that "both sides of the argument should be represented".
ShoutOut, a voluntary organisation which runs classes around the country on encouraging students not to discriminate against LGBT people, was due to hold the free workshop at the secondary school, Coláiste Eoin in Stillorgan, this morning.
However, the group of volunteers was told 30 minutes before it was to start that the event, which had been booked several months ago, had been cancelled.
ShoutOut's schools co-ordinator, Declan Meehan, said they were given no explanation for the cancellation which came "out of the blue".
However, an unidentified source told them that the school's Board of Management had decided that "both sides of the argument should be represented".
Meehan said the school had held similar workshops there before and been very receptive.
Mr Meehan said: "We’ve been in all kinds of schools – Church-run, non-denominational, mixed, same-sex. We’ve never had anything like this before."
The school's principal "doesn’t want to comment" and it will be "going to the Board of Management".
When ever I hear this 'balance' debate I always think of @daraobriain old bit but weirder in this case as he's a past pupil of Coláiste Eoin
— James (@bispys) January 27, 2015
Breaking: Colaiste Eoin (Stillorgan) to cancel all further science classes until Dept of Ed adds intelligent design to curriculum.
— Joe Molloy 🏳️⚧️ 🇵🇸 (@FreelanceWebDev) January 27, 2015
The decision by Coláiste Eoin to cancel an anti-homophobic bullying workshop is so skull-crushingly stupid it simply beggars belief.
— Fintan O’Toolbox (@FintanOToolbox) January 27, 2015
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