Ireland: Study finds Catholic pupils are being bullied for their faith

Practising Catholic pupils and even staff members are sometimes targeted for bullying in Irish schools, according to a major new report. Teachers see evidence of pressure on students to hide their religion. It is a sure sign of just how aggressively secular Ireland today can be.

The survey of 214 Religious Education teachers, conducted by the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre in Dublin City University, found that students of faith, particularly Catholic ones, are a vulnerable group. "Holding a religious worldview can be a lonely experience in modern Ireland", said one of the respondents.

According to the "Religious Inclusive Education" report, authored by Dr Amalee Meehan and Derek A Laffan MSc, students who are open about their faith can experience hostility from other students and even from staff.

"Expressing religious based convictions can lead to low level bullying by staff members … e.g. expressing anti-abortion views", noted one of the participants.

The report refers to secondary school students. Those who identify as Catholic are the group most likely to be associated to negative stereotypes, while those who identify as atheist are at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Read more about the report HERE