Kevin is Far Away

Kevin touched down in Santiago, Chile, two days ago, and today was leading a session of management training for principals of Chilean schools.  He will be joined next week by the principals of New-Bridge Integrated College, Erne Integrated College and fellow Specialist Languages School, Belfast High School.

We Stood Out

We stood out today, Shimna students and All Children's pupils.  We are all of us where we are because parents in Newcastle and round about  came together to found schools which would allow children and adults to learn together within the segregated and selective education system which still covers so much of N. Ireland.  We respect the views of all of our integrated communities and students had the choice to stand out.  At the stand out, Joyce McMeekin introduced our silence, and it was meticulously observed.  Kevin Lambe then quoted from David Irvine in saying "Lets not put barriers in front of us to stop us moving forward.  Let's put barriers behind us to stop us moving back."  The sun shone on us.  Let's hope.

The Shock of Saturday

The shock of Saturday leaked into every class today.  Students were horrified and a healthy identification with the pizza deliverers seemed to signal that no one wanted to see a return to the violence students have heard of, but haven't had to live through.  Students reported lots of different reactions at home, from huge sympathy for the families of the dead soldiers, to confusion as to who could have done the shooting, to fears about the recent enormous bomb in Castlewellan to fears that dissident republicans were responsible to fears that undercover security people were responsible.  Some people's views annoyed other people, and we have to sustain our investment in talking and listening to each other and never, ever deciding to shoot of bomb anybody over the differences in opinion.