medals issue in fermanagh

[gaagaa]

Would someone in fermanagh please try to talk some sense into that girl and her ma
theyve just made fools of themselves on the news

[Minder]

I saw that, they came across as a couple of simpletons

[ziggysego]

Mother looks like the sort that looks for arguments.

[Minder]

Mother looks like the sort that looks for arguments.

Definetley, that wee girl must have had a hard paper round because she looks a lot older than 15. How that is newsworthy is beyond me.

[gaagaa]

i cant see how they are doing themselves any favours
does anyone local want to comment on this?
shes going to get some ribbing on monday
and what if she doesnt chance the badges to inside of lapel?  she should be sent home and the social services called in!

[The Real Laoislad]

Does anyone wanna fill all us Mexicans in on what ye are talking about?

[ziggysego]

Does anyone wanna fill all us Mexicans in on what ye are talking about?

A schoolgirl suspended from class for wearing religious images on her lapel will continue to keep them on her blazer, her mother has said.

Catrina McDermott has been threatened with expulsion for wearing emblems of St Patrick and the guardian angel.

She was suspended from St Eugene's College in Roslea, County Fermanagh, after refusing to conceal the badges.

However, Ann McDermott said her daughter was determined to keep wearing the emblems.

She is expected to return to school on Monday following her suspension.

Mrs McDermott said the badges had given the 15-year-old strength in the face of alleged school bullying.

"She thinks that if she removes them then you would think she was ashamed of religion and what she stands for," said Mrs McDermott.

"It is a Catholic maintained school, there is nobody she is offending, but all I can put it down to is religious discrimination."

'Rules and regulations'

She said Catrina had worn the badges for four years before the school had banned all emblems after many pupils began wearing them.

"They can talk about St Patrick in school but they are not allowed to wear what he stands for," said Mrs McDermott.

However, school principal Martin Knox said the decision to forbid pupils wearing any badge was introduced last year.

"We have rules and regulations in the school and we have to apply them," he said.

"It is the first time a pupil has refused to take them off.

"I don't see how this can be resolved. The compromise for the parents is essentially to put the badges on the inside of her blazer, if she wants to continue in this school."

Sourced BBCi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7234414.stm

[gaagaa]

i dont buy this - people who are bullied try to keep a low profile
not attract attention to themselves

[gerry]

heard this on tallkback, her and her parents were not getting many callers sympathetic to them.

rules are rules,

[Pangurban]

While on the face of it this appears to be a petty dispute, there are wider issues involved.e.g. religious freedom and right of expression. Of course it is wrong that the Mother should use her daughter to make a point, but a case can be made for a wider ,reasoned debate to take place among Parents,Teachers,and the Parish community. Or are we all so brainwashed by the equality commission and the liberal media that this is no longer possible. Should a Catholic Maintained School be defined as a neutral space, given that its ethos and raison detre is to uphold and promote catholic belief and values. Is the wearing of a Pioneer Pin in School now unacceptable. Who was be offended by the Badge this young girl was wearing and why. If no one was offended why is it an issue. I think we need to look beyond the facetious media reports, and determine the real issues. I suspect we will find some group with a hidden agenda

[FermGael]

Would someone in fermanagh please try to talk some sense into that girl and her ma
theyve just made fools of themselves on the news

From what i have hear people have tried but there is no talking to some people

[gaagaa]

Of course it is wrong that the Mother should use her daughter to make a point, but a case can be made for a wider ,reasoned debate to take place among Parents,Teachers,and the Parish community. Who was be offended by the Badge this young girl was wearing and why. If no one was offended why is it an issue. I think we need to look beyond the facetious media reports, and determine the real issues. I suspect we will find some group with a hidden agenda

i take your point but the way this has been blown up does the child no favours
i believe the mother is irresponsible in letting this get to this stage
if the child was bullied before i think this will make it worse

[pintsofguinness]

What is with schools trying to suck every last bit of individuality out of their pupils - isn't it enough they're all dressed the same?
There was a case in England (I think) where a lad doesn't want to get his hair cut - who exactly do schools think they are to instruct someone to cut their hair to a certain length?  They only other place you'd get that is the marines! 

I don't understand why this girl isn't allowed to wear a badge but I don't see why the mother has made such an issue out of it either - I can only assume there's no real news for this to make the headlines.

[Solomon Kane]

She should ask that chap in Ballyclare with the long hair for advice.

[passedit]

I can only assume there's no real news for this to make the headlines.

watched bbc NI news for the first time in a while last night and god it was shite. This nothing story, a missing horse from 25 years ago and some crap about changing yer name. Fcuk me

Still i suppose we should be grateful, no news is good news.