ASTI to hold emergency meeting over Leaving Cert plans

Yesterday the Cabinet agreed to close schools for most students from next Monday as part of new restrictions to tackle rising Covid-19 infections.It is at schools' own discretion whether Leaving Cert students attend on consecutive days, or whether the in-school days are spaced over the week.

This morning ASTI General Secretary Kieran Christie said his union "may take action" in relation to the Government's announcement that Leaving Cert students will return to school next week. Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Philip Boucher-Hayes, Mr Christie said his union "would not rule anything out" and that there was "plenty of opportunities between now and Monday for the Minister to come to her senses".

He said: "The minister seems not to have asked whether it was safe to bring back 61,000 students and their teachers, and I am not convinced that there was any level of consultation with appropriate medical professionals." He told RTÉ's News at One that: "There isn't specific advice on sixth years, but there is general advice. In the letter from the CMO, to the Health Minister, which by the way doesn't say that schools are unsafe. It says that they are a relatively safe environment.

Speaking to the same programme, Mr O'Rourke said the situation must be reversed, particularly as the new variant of Covid-19 continues to circulate.He said it was amazing that schools should be expected to open and teachers put into a classroom with up to 30 other people, while the rest of the country is asked to stay at home.

Schools should close. Then they should stay OPEN during the summer so students can catch up.

Foley feeds students to virus 🦠 Would be funny if it wasn’t true.

FergalBowers NPHET must explain how their opinion is the exact opposite of their UK counterparts (SAGE), whose report (18th Dec)says kids 2-16yrs are more likely to bring Covid19 into the home than people 17yrs+ & more than twice as likely to spread it in the home?

Looking more weeks off school no doubt.

When our health service is very close to being overwhelmed why send thousands of leaving certs into overcrowded classrooms. Norma is fixated on having the normal leaving cert and it will cost many lives

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Minister Foley 'taken aback' after ASTI pulls out of Leaving Cert planning talksThe union has said that the plans from the department would not provide a “meaningful Leaving Certificate” for students. I think she needs to sit the leaving cert again. Not sure the neurons are firing in her skull. This has to be the worst set of ministers since the Cowen/Harney/Coughlan collection Taken aback to 1994, what is she like?
Source: thejournal_ie - 🏆 32. / 50 Read more »

Minister welcomes move by ASTI to rejoin talks on Leaving CertThe ASTI said that its concerns had been addressed by Minister for Education Norma Foley. ASTI are learning to dance for Lanigans Ball... In other words she surrendered to the unions demands. Tail wagging the dog as usual. Good to hear, well done minister.
Source: thejournal_ie - 🏆 32. / 50 Read more »

Leaving Cert talks breakdown ‘a complete mess’ as ASTI to meet Minister to discuss issueASTI stresses this afternoon’s talks are not an indication it is reentering the process The dept & NormaFoleyTD1 need to do what the uk are doing no changes bring made to grades submitted by teachers they trust their integrity that they know the teens in their schools no downgrading! No repeat of LC2020 with an untested algorithm they gave 8k+ inflated points!
Source: IrishTimes - 🏆 3. / 98 Read more »

ASTI agree to talks with Department of Education after pulling out of Leaving Cert talksMinister of State Hildegarde Naughten said it’s “disappointing” that Leaving Cert discussions had “broke down”. It’s a joke, All the calls for predicted grades and the criticisms of Norma Foley... and who knew the teachers would turn out to be the enemy of the 2021 LC students? 🤔 Just hire other teachers. If the militant unions don't want to work then fine... I'm sure there are non-union teachers happy to work.
Source: thejournal_ie - 🏆 32. / 50 Read more »

‘Beyond unhelpful’: Ministers condemn ASTI exit from Leaving Cert talksUnion says negotiations with Foley today are not indication it is re-entering process If school is safe as were being told all year how come ther not deamed safe for exams in warm months Sick of this .I hope teachers are paying careful attention. Never was a group more vilified. When things are normal (if ever), do not ever forget how low down in the pecking order you really are. Do the ASTI care about public opinion, no , they still get paid and it's not new to them.
Source: IrishTimes - 🏆 3. / 98 Read more »