AIBU to say that graduation ceremonies are not the place to make political statements?

[anythingbutlillies]

Hard hat on.

DC's graduation today. Fabulous day, but it did not sit well with me that a few chose to unfurl a flag / raise a scarf while they were on the stage.
Just no! So very selfish.

Interested to hear if I am being precious?

I agree with much of what you say.

However this was at one of the oldest universities which is also a Russell Group, and for a 'traditional' degree.

Well what are you upset about then? Honestly it's FAR more upetting for anyone with a shred of decency that people like you are happy to watch the atocities Israel are committing and to think there is ANY moment that is inappropriate to speak out about it.

Haven't you seen the numerous videos of parents carrying the bloodsoaked bodies of their innocent children through the streets? Didn't you see the 6 year old girl trapped in a car with her dead family, begging for help, before being delibately shot to pieces by Israeli soldiers? Don't you see the emaciated children dying slow, painful deaths because they've been delivately starved by Israel?

Universities have always been places where students bravely make political stands and speak out against injustice, cruelty, and evil. This has been the case throughout history - think of the White Rose movement, the students who were executed for speaking out against the nazis in German universities, or think about the anti-Vietnam war protests in the US. These students are intelligent, brave and on the right side of history.

If it slightly spoiled your day then you need to give yourself a serious talking to. There are a lot of mothers in Gaza who are spending today in unimaginable grief, mourning the horrific death of their child, while you're safe in the UK enjoying your child's graduation. It really makes me sick that you have the audacity to complain about this.

97% of graduates have jobs within 15 months of graduation, so whatever you think of their politics you are entirely wrong about their prospects.

Again, still not saying I was resentful. More that it was making it all about them which simply wouldn't have been possible if all several hundred chose to do the same.

If you’re going to put numbers in, make sure they’re accurate.
This is from students who graduated in 2023.
83% of graduates were in employment or unpaid work, the majority of which (61%) were in full time employment, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to 2018–19. Of these, 11% were in part-time employment, and 10% a combination of employment and further study. A further 6% were in further study.

The proportion of graduates that were unemployed (5%) was the same as those that graduated in 2021 and 1 percentage point lower than in 2019

What this data doesn't say is what types of jobs those graduates were employed in.

https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/latest/insights-and-analysis/what-did-graduates-do-after-higher-0

A lot of universities also use cathedrals, which makes it even more inappropriate. Saying that, I sometimes think the CofE under Welby has become more about promoting whatever the latest bandwagon agenda is than anything else. I find virtue signaling so irksome.

Where are you getting the idea that everyone did this?

Did you see the videos depicting the atrocities committed on 7/10 by Palestinians? No-one is a winner here - both sides are / have suffered atrocities.

You're right. God forbid the Church be vocally opposed to genocide.

You’d be quite wrong then: https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/29587

My understanding is that within the U.K. economy about 20-25% of jobs can only be done by graduates. There’s a further similar proportion that are more often, but not exclusively, done by graduates, leaving about 55% of jobs in which a degree is neither a requirement nor a direct advantage. This indicates that the job market does not support all graduates being in graduate employment.

So you’d be ok if other students unfurled the Israeli flag?

I can't think why anyone might feel uncomfortable when someone reminds them that genocide is being perpetrated.

Unless they agree with it happening, or don't care.

Revoked?! How ridiculous. ‘Let’s crush these inquiring minds we’ve just helped create?’ Graduates are the exact people who should be heading out to change the world. Student protest is nothing new and protest is not about making people feel comfortable.

Did the OP say that other flags were unfurled? Other causes supported?

Of course not, because they’re committing genocide. But even if some people aren’t personally ok with it, isn’t that the whole point of political protest - to make people question how comfortable they are with something?

Honestly it's FAR more upetting for anyone with a shred of decency that people like you are happy to watch the atocities Israel are committing and to think there is ANY moment that is inappropriate to speak out about it.

Love this. The suggestion that if you're pissed off about random virtue signalling on your child's special day that you are happy about what is happening in Gaza. Absolute smug self-righteousness of it all.

Did she say every single student unfurled a Palestinian flag? Clearly her own daughter at least did not.

You're determined to write off the activism of these students as a trendy bandwagon, because it allows you to be condescending and dismissive without engaging with the cause in any meaningful way. That's fine - do what suits you. You aren't their target audience anyway, and they don't care what you think.

Several universities have already commenced divestment from Israel in response to pressure from staff and students, including political protest. In light of that, I promise these students aren't worried about what some small-minded Pearl clutcher on mumsnet thinks about their actions.

They have approximately 10 seconds on stage, do you expect them to pull out 50 flags like a magician’s handkerchief?
There’s so many awful things happening in the world, with your attitude no one would ever be able to support/ protest anything. I donated to a cancer charity last week, it doesn’t mean I don’t care about heart disease.

The numbers vary depending on source, year, what's counted as employment and time since graduation. However even taking your conservative figure of 83% it still makes nonsense of the pp comment these young people are 'unemployable', doesn't it? Yet is my figures you choose to quibble with, rather than that baseless generalisation.

I didn't say they all did. I said that the ones who did all had a Palestinian flag. Why no poignant solidarity with the women of Afghanistan who are denied an education and a voice? Why no demand for climate justice (that one seems to have gone completely out of fashion)?

It's attention seeking. God help their future employers.

And where is that actually happening?

Where did I say it slightly spoiled my day?
Where did I say I'm not horrified by the atrocities?

I'm asking if graduation ceremonies are the right place to make a political statement (of any kind).

You think they are - thanks for your contribution.