By Andrea Willimetz, DIS Cross Cultural Communication Student
Children are laughing in Northern Ireland. They are playing, they are learning, and they are growing up. Yet, the majority of children are separated into two disjointed groups due to ethnic tensions. It was astonishing for me to see first hand that in a Westernized society, two groups of people can live in the same place yet be as separated from each other. Trickled with animosity and a history of violence, many Nationalists and Loyalists stay as separated as they can to avoid violence and encounters with each other. This separation spreads as far as schooling. Due to my own upbringing of less religious separation in my community, this was shocking to experience.
Hazelwood Primary School, located in Northern Belfast, was one of the pioneers of the now about 6% of schools that are integrated in Northern Ireland. Founded in 1985, the school faced difficulties due to lack of support from parts of the community, especially the Catholic Church and other primary schools, and from the government. The reason for this opposition stems from the deeply rooted ethnic tensions that are still extremely visible and present today.
A brief history of the conflict: The period between 1968 and 1998 in Northern Ireland is known as ‘The Troubles,’ a big issue being about the constitutional status of the land. Nationalists, represented mostly by Catholics, wanted to leave the United Kingdom and unite with the Republic of Ireland, becoming part of an independent nation. Loyalists, represented mostly be Protestants, wanted Northern Ireland to stay part of the United Kingdom. Much violence, discrimination, and extreme separation of the two sides arouse during this time, resulting in over 3,000 people killed. The effects from these and previous times are still being obviously present today, very visibly demonstrated by the majority of schools separated by religion.
During our class visit to Belfast, we visited the Hazelwood Primary School and talked to the principle, Patricia Murtagh. She explained how the school system in Northern Ireland has a lot of division, such as Catholic schools, Protestant schools, grammar schools, and church schools. Students were not allowed to simply go to the nearest schools to where they lived or in their neighborhood. Teachers even got different degrees at different schools, furthering the disunity. The area where Hazelwood is placed was one of the areas where the most people were killed during the Troubles, and many parents were set on changing the future for their children. Parents got together and decided they wanted to start an integrated primary school for all children of all religions to attend, hoping to decrease the separation.
Controversial integration
The Catholic Church and other non-integrated primary schools greatly opposed the formation of this integrated school. The Church wanted to keep Catholicism separate, seeing the families of those who attend as traitors, and the other schools feared competition. Eventually, Hazelwood found a stable location and grew.
Today, they have to turn down applicants due to lack of space. In order to be recognized as integrated, the department of education says 40% must be Catholic, 40% must be Protestant, and 20% must be other. The inability to grow and these set percentages essentially negate the idea of letting anyone in, regardless of background. Although Hazelwood is an integrated school, it is not secular. It has a core Christian base as part of the curriculum.
Ironically, in the schools own backyard lays a 25-foot-high peace wall. Built a few years ago, though against the school’s wishes, the wall was meant to keep residents safe and prevent violence between the separated Protestant and Catholic living communities. It was a powerful image of a school’s attempt to lessen the separation created by years of conflict juxtapositioned with a symbol of clear separation. Such obvious separation like this would not be as accepted in the United States, but then again, such apparently obvious separation in every aspect between two groups does not exist in the U.S.
Building a united future
Even though still not totally religiously unbiased and with still clear symbols of separation all around, integrated schools like Hazelwood are making a huge impact on the children growing up in these sorts of conditions. Parents send children to schools like this not to forget about the Troubles, but to discuss it openly. Children are more aware of political sensitivity and having a wide view is encouraged. Later this school semester, Hazelwood is putting on a concert to revisit “The Troubles” and why the school was initially started. Children group up among peers with different backgrounds and become friends with each other, lessening the separation of generations before.
The picture above captures this, with a child saying “No No to Bullying” with a depiction of a flag from the Republic of Ireland, representing Catholics, and a flag of the United Kingdom, representing Protestants, holding hands and being happy. Though a tiny depiction, the symbolism carries huge weight and hope for a united future through the attempts of schools like Hazelwood. As we toured the school, it was impossible to tell which child came from what background, and there was no division to be seen. They were just children playing and learning with other children, who may someday be just adults living alongside other adults, regardless of background.
If you would like to learn more about the Hazelwood Primary School, visit their website at http://www.hazelwoodips.co.uk.
To read more about the controversy of the “peace” wall behind Hazelwood, check out this article on BBC over various concerns at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6685355.stm.
Cross Cultural Communications in Belfast 