to think students are being treated worse than prisoners?

[RopeGoat]

So, many students are currently being locked down.

1. They're paying up to £10,000 for their accommodation. A 8x12ft room that they aren't permitted to leave.
2. Their key cards have been blocked so they're physically held against their will despite having no symptoms and no actual contact with anyone who has tested positive.
3. They're only in the accommodation because universities insisted classes would be face-to-face and that they must move to campuses. Only to told days after arriving that it's all online.
4. Some universities are providing food but it's unhealthy, out of date and massively overpriced. University of York charging £10 for a sandwich, packet of crisps and a chocolate bar.
5. No access to tests because all the tests available to them are drive-through. The vast majority of students don't have cars and they can't carpool or get a taxi for a Covid test. Universities are actively refusing them tests to reduce the numbers so they look better.
6. Charged £30 for a load of laundry - which is more necessary than normal in order to try and reduce the spread of Covid.

I could give many more examples. Surely this is unacceptable treatment of any group in our society? I'd be outraged if prisoners were being treated like this (so would many others) so why are so many (not all) people not standing up for students here? What can we do to help?

I understand that its upsetting for students,but ar the same time in angry that my children haven't seen their father for 7months now due to prisons stopping all visits. At least students are able to video all their families,and arent forciblylocked in squalid inhumane conditions. My children and thousands of others are being deprived of any relationship with their daddy.

Since when was everyone in prison in for rape?
Do you think Sally Challen is one of the worst people society has to offer?

Not sure where I said everyone was in prison for rape? No I checked definitely didn’t say that.

We have laws, when people decide they are above them and break those laws, we have prisons. You have to of broken a law to get to a prison. I have to live by the rules my country has why are others exempt? Why should one get a nice quality of life for committing a crime?

re prisons- I care about prisoners. They are people. They deserve a quality of life, even if they have comited crimes My sister was raped, she was brave she went to court, his in prison. Yes his a person but unfortunately I can’t get worked up that prison might not be nice.

Trouble is when you start with some prisoners just didn’t pay a tv licence so prisoners should get a quality of life you open the gates for a nice life across the board and some people are not worthy of a decent quality of life.

DS is at Uni. They aren’t locked in. He is not quaranting but going around campus and town as he wants. We’ve told him that he can come home any time he wants - he drove back last weekend to collect more gym clothes.

I'd be outraged if prisoners were being treated like this

Jesus wept.

I hope you're ready to put your money where your mouth is – prisoners are dealing with a HELL of a lot worse and always have.

I agree op, I think students are being treated awful.

What do you suggest instead?? Not aggressive btw jut genuinely want to know

I think students are obviously ignoring restrictions hence the increase in tests.

The universities aren't coping with it because they didnt expect any outbreaks because they clearly know nothing about the behaviour of the age groups they have.

Students shouldn't have been allowed back at all.

I’m at uni. It’s not like prison. we get food delivered constantly and have bubbles in which to socialise. Admittedly I’m not at a particularly stricken uni but they’re taking precautions.

You are mostly correct but self catering isn't about half that - those paying £10k will be in fully catered halls in London most likely so will be getting fed. Tests have been provided for every sick student- see the picture from Nottingham of full post boxes. Laundry is being charged at £10 per load here including drying which includes staff doing it remember

@KarlKennedysDurianFruit

@CakeGirl2020 more women in the UK after imprisoned for non payment of TV licence than any other offence. Yes really the worst of society who deserve everything they get. What an ill educated comment.

You are wrong, and it is your comment that is ill educated I'm afraid

DS is at Uni in an area with high infections.

He had to have a covid test this week as he had a fever overnight.

He had to walk an hour to get a test at a walk-in clinic, with a fever, when he was feeling awful. Not allowed to take public transport or a taxi.

Luckily he tested negative.

I think students are obviously ignoring restrictions hence the increase in tests.

But this isn't the case all over.

DD's friends are in a flat of 9 which is now in SI.

One girl caught Covid and tested positive this week. The only place she had been in the past 10 days was hospital as an in patient - she more than likely caught it there. Since she has tested positive, 2 more mature students in their flat, who haven't been out partying, had had symptoms - one tested positive today, still awaiting the other.

DD hasn't had contact with those with symptoms, but has with some of the other flatmates so we are waiting to see what happens. At present she doesn't have to SI but we are being careful. She is actually currently at home - she was home for the weekend when she found out about the first. She has decided to stay here just incase to avoid SI in her flat - she can access her course online anyway.

Students are just getting it because they are partying hard.

Its just the natural consequence of moving tens of thousands of young people across the country to create new households with 3-10+ strangers!

OP, this is not the case in all universities, so please don't try to assert that it is.

My DDs are both back at uni at different institutions and the level of the virus is different in each location. DD1 is having weekly tests done by university labs. She was given washable face-coverings by her university. She is in a bubble of 8; they each have their own en suite bedroom but share a small kitchen. She is going to labs and tutorials as they are taught where possible in person. DD2 is in a shared house with 4 others. One is on her course so they have become lab partners as they don't need to socially distance.

Neither DD is locked in their room. Both were told to ensure that they had sufficient dried/tinned food to get them through a fortnight of lockdown. DD1 was told to bring warm coats, scarves, hats & gloves as lectures might be either outside or inside with all windows open.

It's nothing like a prison. Both can come & go as they please for now. If there is a case locally, they can still order food, use their laptops/phones and keep in touch with life on the outside. Cut the hyperbole and stick to the facts. If your DC is struggling, contact the institution and ask how they are planning to support them. Organise food deliveries for them. But please don't assume it's the same everywhere because it isn't.

Reluctant to derail the thread further, but to say that prisoners are the worst people society has is very naive. Yes, some have done vile things, but simply being in a prison does not automatically mean you're the lowest of the low and should immediately forfeit your rights to humane treatment.

For example, did you know that black people are statistically far more likely than white people to be sentenced to prison for similar offences?

Manchester university have locked down 2 halls for 2 weeks and are being kept from leaving by security guards
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mmu-covid-19-outbreak-needed-19025744

@CakeGirl2020

I can’t really get worked up about prisons. They are the worst people society has, does anyone care about a rapist quality of life? But yes those poor prisoners. So not sure why previous posters are all won’t someone think of the prisoners. Tip for Life is don’t do bad shit and you won’t end up in one, they are kind of meant to be a punishment.

OP I have just read the bbc article about the food being supplied to the students and yes it is poor, for the money they are Paying you do expect so much better. YANBU to worry about how students are being treated

Really? You have no idea why some people are in prison.

I honestly don't know what the answer is with university, I think where possible everyone should be at home remote learning with only the more hands on subjects being face to face.

I don't want students locked up, but at the same time I can't say I want them roaming all over Manchester either.

Our numbers are scary here and we need to get control of them.

@CarelessSquid07A

I think students are obviously ignoring restrictions hence the increase in tests.

The universities aren't coping with it because they didnt expect any outbreaks because they clearly know nothing about the behaviour of the age groups they have.

Students shouldn't have been allowed back at all.

Only a minority of students are ignoring restrictions. Most have behaved very well and have been avoiding crowds etc.

Some unis with college bars etc aren't following the rules to enforce social distancing etc. They've stopped F2F teaching, closed libraries etc., but left their bars open! It's nonsensical.

I agree, Unis should have been fully online/remote this term, maybe even for the full year, except courses where physical attendance is necessary. Unis conned students into moving in just to get the rent from their halls/flats.

Unis need to do the right thing. Let students go back home to study remotely and refund their accommodation costs.

@pjmask have a read dear
howardleague.org/news/howard-league-briefing-shows-it-is-time-to-rethink-remand-for-women/

Also look at the prison reform trust briefing February 2017, in particular take note of the high percentage of women in custody for non criminal offences including non payment of TV licence.
"TV licence evasion accounted for 36% of all prosecutions for women, but only 6% for men.
In 2015, 70% of all the 189,349 defendants prosecuted for this offence were women."

Students are just getting it because they are partying hard.

A minority, yes. Their flatmates are suffering lockdowns because of the stupidity of a minority. My son is in lockdown along with 6 flat mates because of one person who just "had" to go out partying every night, when the other 7 didn't. He buggered off home, leaving the other 7 to isolate and be stuck inside. No sanctions from the Uni despite blatantly breaking the rules. Uni bosses havn't a clue how to deal with problems they've caused.

Firstly having worked in prisons extensively OP you are very naive , it is not remotely the same. I think it is very hard for students (my nephew is back at university) but not every case is like the ones you describe.

You are catastrophising from some , so far you have not shown evidence of being true , cases across the board where these things are patently not happening in most places.

I'd be extremely surprised that they are locking in people with deactivated keycards. If they are, then absolutely that is horrific (and illegal).

For those comments about prisons , I don't understand why people make generalisations about things that have no idea about. Yes some people are on remand and haven't been convicted yet ...however do you really understand why people are remanded? It's not willy nilly there are reasons for it. However the same as others have said prisoner ethnicity is unfairly weighted because the courts and police are.
Finally , how we treat prisoners is less a reflection on them and more a reflection on how we choose to be as a society. Treating prisoners humanely is about us choosing to respect human life , to a point ( as in the difference between restricting freedom to not condoning an abusive system) I've been the victim of a horrific crime to a family member, I have also worked heavily within the system. None of it is simple ,none of it can be boiled down to a few generalised lines on a forum post. It requires extensive consideration of different circumstances.

If you choose to pick and choose how you treat human life , I'm afraid it says more about you than it does about them. Its not about them , it's about who we choose to be. No that's not easy , and I promise you I have stood in courts in the most horrific circumstances and I practise what I preach , as mind bendingly hard as it was.

Oh ffs. Catastrophising much? They have to isolate when there's a positive case. As do we all. It sucks. But they're adults and am sure will
cope.

I want us to do everything to avoid a national lockdown and to protect the economy. That men's local lockdowns and universities are COVID hotbeds. Would you be happy if these universities weren't there next year as they've gone bust?

@KarlKennedysDurianFruit
Yes many women are in the CJS for non payment of tv license but your stated fact that more women are in custody for non payment of tv license than any other offence is not accurate

This is not reflective of all universities. Certainly not the one I work at. Small numbers of students required to isolate, provided with regular care packs, residences checking in on them regularly, organising socials on zoom etc. Exaggeration weakens your case OP.