An Irish schoolbook featuring a stereotype portrayal of a traditional Irish family is ‘so offensive it is unreal’, Aontú has said.
The ‘Health and Wellbeing’ book is used to teach children Personal and Health Education (SPHE) in the first three years of secondary school.
Now, however, politicians from across the political spectrum have slammed a section of the book entitled ‘All Different, All Equal’ which compares a traditional Irish family to a more multicultural one.
Just watched @TG4TVs music series celebrating the very best in traditional music from Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy followed by the life and career of Australian born guitarist Steve Cooney.. Im feeling v proud of our dance, traditions and culture… oh oh ? #familyA #sphe pic.twitter.com/gKYbUiWzdP
— Cllr Sarah O’Reilly (@sarahreilly30) September 1, 2024
The Irish family is shown outside a thatched farmhouse wearing Aran jumpers.
The text notes that the family eats ‘potatoes, bacon and cabbage every day’ and does not like “change or difference”.
It says that they only play GAA sports and only watch Irish TV.
It says that the children ‘get told off” if they mix with people from other religions because “they would be a bad influence on us”.
On the other hand, the book says the mixed-race family loves ‘change and difference’ and depicts them travelling internationally and visiting art galleries.
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Aontú campaigner and Limerick assistant principal Eric Nelligan said the book depicts Irish people as “backward, dull, strict, and inward-looking with controlling parents” adding that it includes “basically all the negative stereotypes” you might associate with the Ireland of the 1950s.
“Let's be honest, if this was a Hollywood film written about Ireland, we would be up in arms,” he said.
“This is one of those rare occasions when nearly all sides of the Irish political system and the people are getting behind an issue that was clearly wrong.
“How the writers and the authors and the editors allowed this book past their checks is [unbelievable].
“It just shows the mentality that's out there.
“They basically picked every single Irish stereotype you can and portrayed it in a negative manner.”
My family and I go on holidays in Donegal, we play and support Gaelic games and support Irish music we try and speak Irish.
It is extraordinary that the Department of Education through the SPHE curriculum seeks to castigate ordinary Irish families. pic.twitter.com/Pq5wdBtrfb
— Edward Mac Manus (@edward_manus) September 3, 2024
When it was put to him that the caricature is designed to teach children what happens if you remain insulated in your own tradition and culture, Mr Nelligan said the authors “crossed a line”.
“There is a line that was crossed in this piece and not only did it cross it, it went 14 miles beyond it,” he said.
“What makes it worse is that the students, not only did they have to list the positive advantages of the different families, they had to talk about which family they would like to be part of.
“Which family they felt was more inclusive and was inclusivity good or bad?
“So what the authors are doing here is they were implying that the Irish culture is not good.
“That it's divisive and demeaning while the multicultural family are open-minded and generous.
“If this was flipped to a foreign family [and children were asked to] pick the negative tropes of a foreign family - there would be uproar and rightly so.”
There are now calls for the Department of Education to drop the schoolbook from the curriculum.
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