The principal of Lumen Christi College in Derry has rejected claims that the school's plans to introduce its own method of academic selection are inconsistent with Catholic teaching.
In a letter to Minister of Education Caitríona Ruane, which was obtained by the 'Journal' under Freedom of Information legislation, the principal of the Derry grammar school, Pat O'Doherty, insisted the plans were in keeping with the Catholic ethos o
f the school.
After the school announced its intention to introduce an 'academic aptitude test' in 2009, Ms Ruane said academic selection was "unjust" and suggested it was against Catholic teaching.
Writing to the Minister last month, Mr O'Doherty said: "We reject wholeheartedly your inference that a non-academic selective system will promote greater social justice in school admissions or that academic selection is in any way inconsistent with Catholic social teaching in this or any other country throughout the world.
"Rather, we believe that academic selection allows pupils of all classes an opportunity to achieve their fullest potential and combats the social abuse of a comprehensive system compelling children to attend schools only in their own area," he said.
Elsewhere in the letter, Mr O'Doherty called on the Minister to "provide for a funded system of testing throughout Northern Ireland."
However, speaking to the Journal yesterday, Mr O'Doherty denied he was asking the Department of Education to fund Lumen Christi's plans.
"We are asking the department to fund tests for all schools, not just our own," he said.
The full article contains 253 words and appears in Journal Tuesday Derry Edit newspaper.
