Last year Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too “distressing” Credit: eye35.pix / Alamy Stock Photo
Students who avoid making eye contact could be guilty of racism, Oxford University says
S tudents who avoid making eye contact with their peers could be guilty of racism, according to Oxford University’s latest guidance.
The university’s Equality and Diversity Unit has advised students that “not speaking directly to people” could be deemed a “racial microaggression” which can lead to “mental ill-health”.
Other examples of “everyday racism” include asking someone where they are “originally” from, students were told.
Oxford University's Equality and Diversity Unit explains in its Trinity term newsletter that "some people who do these things may be entirely well-meaning, and would be mortified to realise that they had caused offence.
“But this is of little consequence if a possible effect of their words or actions is to suggest to people that they may fulfil a negative stereotype, or do not belong”.
Last year Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too “distressing” Credit: eye35.pix / Alamy Stock Photo
U niversities have been accused of pandering to the “snowflake generation” of students, who are seen as over-sensitive and quick to take offence.
Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education the University of Kent, said the guidance was “completely ridiculous” and will make students “hyper-sensitive” about how they interact with one another.
“Essentially people are being accused of a thought crime,” Dr Williams told The Telegraph. “They are being accused of thinking incorrect thoughts based on an assumption of where they may or may not be looking.”
Dr Williams, who is author of Academic Freedom in an Age of Conformity, said that Oxford University’s guidance was “overstepping the mark” by telling students “how they should feel and think”.
Students celebrating matriculation at Oxford University Credit: Francisco Martinez / Alamy
S he said: “Instead of people seeing each other as potential friends, equals, these re-racialise academia, they force people to see each other as a person of colour, they force people to be put into boxes about identity.
“It is really problematic - it means people can’t relate to each other naturally, they have rules in the back of their mind and they can’t be spontaneous as their interactions are all overlaid with the desire to follow all these rules.”
L ast year Oxford law students were told they could skip lectures covering violent cases if they feared the content would be too “distressing”.
Earlier this year it emerged that Cardiff Metropolitan University banned phrases such as “right-hand man” and “gentleman’s agreement” under its code of practice on inclusive language.
The university guidance dictates that “gender-neutral” terms should be used where possible, adding that students should not allow their “cultural background” to affect their choice of words.
Glasgow University on Gilmorehill Credit: John McKenna / Alamy
T he University of Glasgow has started issuing “trigger warnings” for theology students studying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, whereby students are told they may see distressing images and are given the opportunity to leave.
The term "snowflake generation" was one of Collins Dictionary's 2016 words of the year. Collins defines the term as "the young adults of the 2010s, viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking offence than previous generations".
An Oxford University spokesman said: “The Equality and Diversity Unit works with University bodies to ensure that the University's pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity. The newsletter is one way of advising and supporting staff towards achieving these aims.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2017/04/22/students-avoid-making-eye-contact-could-guiltyof-racism-oxford/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_em
This is so ridiculous I don't even know where to start
People on Newstalkers worry way too much about political correctness on college campuses. It does not effect the vast number of people, even the ones who are students at these places.
Why am I not surprised at all on your take of the situation or that you are ignoring the rioting liberals trying to styfel free speech?
This snowflake sensitivity and the rejection of it is part of why Trump is president. So, yeah, no big deal...
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Stupidity beyond belief.
That sums it up quite nicely.
Stupidity beyond belief.
I concur.
They just put a lot of people on the Autism spectrum as potential racists. The schmucks.
They just put a lot of people on the Autism spectrum as potential racists. The schmucks.
These are the people who are teaching our future leaders, the schumucks, that is. Personally I just think they are mentally sick.
yes they did Steve along with a lot of people with other conditions
I'm surprised that snowflakes are international rather than restricted to just the US .
It's like a highly contagious airborne disease. It's reaching pandemic levels in many Western countries.
No one has ever given me a real answer on why I should be insulted to be called a snowflake. Snowflakes are all different and unique. Just look at them. If you you get enough of them together in a field they look wonderful! When you were kid in snow country you hoped that there were enough of them on the roads that you would sit by the AM radio at about 6am and listen and hope they announced that your school was one of the ones that was closed. If it was you would go outside with your (in my case) six sisters and gather snowflakes into your hands and bunch them up into balls and throw them at each other
If the snow was the right kind you would build snow forts and snow men to show dad when he woke up on Saturday morning after coming in late Friday night from driving a semi-truck since the previous Sunday night. Our home was on a hill, so you couldn't see any of the road's at all and all of the other farms seemed tucked away in the valley and on it's sides like a Christmas Postcard. Are those "bad" snowflakes? If so then count me in!
I remember when my dad was working on his 1956 (the year I was born) Willys Jeep in the garage above the pigpen that us kids had cleaned out as tornado shelter. We weren't sure we needed one until a tornado went through Burnips, Michigan about 3 miles away and we saw it pass from our basement window. It flattened a house trailer there like a giant had stepped on it down to about two feet from the ground. I saw it. I was about 11 or 12 years old.There was a woman and her infant still in there. I have no idea how they got what was left of her and her baby out. Anyway he ways working on his jeep and there was this old single light on the old barn style garage. I would look up at it and it looked like the snow just suddenly appeared out of nowhere from the dark when it hit the spotlight. It was like a magic show I know I was young and that I would learn physics later that accounted for that effect (fuck!), but at the time it was special. Am I supposed to be insulted by those snowflakes? I can't be.
Snowflakes are wonders of nature. They are incredibly beautiful and if you want to insult me, then you're going to have to do one hell of a lot better then that! I mean come the fuck on! That's like trying to insult my like calling me spongecake or Baklava. Grow the fuck up and come up with a manly insult you pussies. But snowflake? Shit that is not an insult! That is praise! Call me that all day long and will love it!
Don't underestimate the damage done by the deadly snowflakes.
Italy avalanche: Hotel search ends with 29 dead, 11 rescued
Snowflakes can also be incredibly fragile.
They melt down at the slightest provocation.
How is it that everything always becomes a discussion about snowflakes? Trump is the biggest snowflake this country has.