Oxford students going after Jenni Murray (again)

Whilst the rights and wrongs are best not debated here I do think that the introduction of fees has had a negative effect on expectations.

I have contact with university students in my job, one said that there is very much an attitude of 'I pay your wages, so serve me' and another said that they were now having to sign in for both halves of a lecture as so many would go for the break and not come back.

Rather than thinking 'this is costing thousands I need to get this right' it is more often 'I'm paying for this so they have to do what I say.'

Telegraph article link above:
(extract)
"But on Wednesday Murray told the History Society that she is no longer able to attend the event due to “personal reasons”.

Earlier this week, three student groups wrote a joint letter urging their peers to “publicly condemn” Murray’s views and “if possible, cancel the event”.

The LGBTQ+ campaign and Women’s Campaign, both of which are run by Oxford University’s student union, as well as the LGBTQ Society have all signed the letter.

They say that “inviting publically transphobic speakers to the university, without challenge, further marginalises and unnecessarily compromises the welfare of trans students and staff”.

Students claimed that Murray “explicitly transphobic comments” in a newspaper article last year, in which she argued that trans women who have lived as men “with all the privilege that entails” do not have the experience of growing up female.

The students’ letter contains “trigger warnings” for “Terfs”, which stands for Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists, and is generally used as a derogatory term to describe those who believe that “identifying” as a woman is not the same as being born a woman.

It can also be used to refer to people who are deemed to hold transphobic views. The letter also carries a warning for “transmisogyny”, a term used to describe those who are both transphobic as well as a misogynist .

Murray has previously said that she “made very clear” in her article that she “fully support the right of trans women to be accorded the respect and protection I would demand for any human being, regardless of sex or gender”.

I await the righteous tweets from the brave little warriors who stopped a woman from speaking because she 'uncritically encouraged people to question'.

Perhaps they'll be eagerly moving to China or North Korea where those skills will be truly celebrated.

There is a suggestion that the NUS is facing serious financial issues.

Rose of Dawn shared a Guido Fawkes article suggesting it was 'on verge of bankruptsy order'

I seriously think it has been a retrograde step to encourage such high attendance at university. When I left school only 10 per cent of the population were at university and they valued the experience and realised how privileged they were.

Now a generation of entitled spoilt brats think they are the bees' knees whose every prejudice and utterance must be pandered to. Their skins are as thin as rice paper and they seem to have trouble cobbling two brain cells together.

Of course there are many clever and intellectually vigorous students still at universities but they are probably far too busy getting on with their studies to bother putting the world to rights from all the experience of their 20 years.

As for some of the lecturers....it's no wonder the universities are churning out entitled snowflakes.

Ah! That's so disappointing. Am sure she didn't want to put herself through the inevitable undignified walking through a baying mob. No one needs that shit or to have to spend the week dreading it.

If you happen to read this Jenny. Solidarity with you. You are an inspiration and a legend and I have spent many mind stretching mornings listening to you.

I am getting so fed up with all the spoilt little shits. They are an embarrassment.

Stupid little brats.

Why don't we teach philosophy at school?

What is very clear is the need for more focus on developing critical thinking skills.

Times today has a short but significant article by Rosemary Bennett, Education Editor

Safe spaces on campus have ‘gone too far’
"Campus safe spaces have gone too far and students are not encountering unpopular views and rigorous debate, the head of the Office for Students has said.

Sir Michael Barber accepted that quiet places had a part to play but said the idea that a whole university should be a safe space was wrong. Inviting controversial speakers was important, he said, as was a “diversity of perspective” in lectures and seminars.

“Being proactive about free speech means exposing students to argument,” he said. “Sometimes education makes you feel uncomfortable.”

Asked at a higher education festival run by the think tank Wonkhe about the safe space movement, he added: “It has certainly been taken too far.”

“Safe spaces” were imported from the US and were originally rooms set aside for marginalised or vulnerable students to debate issues arising from their own experiences. Their scope expanded as many students argued that universities themselves should be environments in which they could debate without being offended or feeling uncomfortable. As students have become paying customers, tutors have grown concerned that they should avoid challenging views or discussing unpopular opinions."

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/31f0138a-e20f-11e8-9838-efa7e96cbe2b

Jenni Murray pulls out of Oxford talk after students try to 'no platform' her over 'transphobic' comments
www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2018/11/07/jenni-murray-pulls-oxford-talk-students-try-no-platform-transphobic/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

merrymouse 😀

How dare she encourage people to question?

Can’t help wondering how they cope with course work.

Why don't we teach philosophy at school?

uncritically encouraged her readers to question

What does this mean? I am so tired of people who are purportedly 'educated' pushing the idea that something can only be discussed if everyone agrees with the transactivist position first.

FFS, you over-privileged yahoos, you're at fucking Oxford. Do you have the slightest clue how basic thinking works?

If someone in a debate has to agree with the premises put forward by their opponent before the conversation is allowed to happen, what do you think will be the result?

Good grief.

I’m a little worried about Oxford’s admissions policy if they find Jeni Murray threatening.

Education is wasted on these eejits.

Fekko I am seriously beginning to think that some kind of community service needs to be a part of every university course, or pre-requisite for getting a place. Something like that. Because this does seem to be something that only the terminally indulged and cossetted (and I'll admit that that was me at uni) think that important.

a polite yet passionate fingers up to history’s attempts to silence women

It's hard to remain polite at the current era's attempts to silence women though.

Let's hope this particular attempt backfires spectacularly.

Little weasels don't deserve to be at university. They should be in the real world - if suggest volunteering at a homeless charity where their right on nonsense won't be given the time of day.

Hurty feelings because someone sniggered at Bill in a frock? Try being homeless and hungry then come and tell me how hard done by you are.

word vomit, more like.

WomaninBoots I think the phrase "word salad" applies here - throw together a bunch of phrases from "critical theory", mix up at random, and serve.

This year, Jenni Murray has been giving a number of lectures about her book:

Dame Jenni Murray - 'A History of Britain in 21 Women.'

"Dame Jenni's talk is a polite yet passionate fingers up to history’s attempts to silence women, on the very week Millicent Fawcett’s statue was unveiled on parliament square.

Jenni began writing her a book ‘A History of Britain in 21 Women’ in 2015 after learning that the women’s movement might be erased from the A level history curriculum.

Her lecture is a whirlwind tour of some of the books more colourful characters – from Boadicea to the Iron Lady, Elizabeth I to Ethel Smith, featuring personal anecdotes (interviewing Thatcher after her deposition) and offering fascinating insight into some of suffrage’s lesser known stories (suffragette cricket lessons for more accomplished brick throwing)."

RE Selina Todd, I heard her speak about her life and book, 'The People: The Rise and Fall of the Working Class, 1910-2010' , She was great, a really interesting woman and would recommend the book.

Oxford SU LGBTQ Campaign