Woke university courses

[StripyCarpets]

I’m really bored of it.
I did the open day rounds with DD a couple of years ago when she was looking at a science subject. The subject itself was largely untainted as far as the content was concerned but the open days were heavy on the environment; understandable but also not necessarily relevant to all teaching in this subject. The talks from students were excruciating; nerdy kids talking about how they do drag etc and so many LGBTQIA+++ flags and signs everywhere. This was tolerable because it wasn’t affecting the actual course.
This year we’re looking at PPE (etc) for DS and obviously there’s so much scope for total capture, but I was really shocked by Bristol. The course leader was a Green Party fan boy, he explained what critical thinking was and demonstrated he doesn’t know what critical thinking is or how to do it. He explained that as well as teaching about politics students would taught how to make a difference in the real world. This is activist school. They can learn thus on Twitter.
If I was an employer, I think I’d be wary of employing a PPE graduate from Bristol. What I saw indicated that students would be indoctrinated rather than educated. It’s depressing, it’s expensive and it’s low quality.
Warwick was a completely different ballgame; very high calibre.

The boasting ‘ we threw em in the deep end, it was sink or swim ‘ is so macho. Who needs familial support when you can make uninformed mistakes all alone, eh.
yee ha!

Yes, I agree. I have been quoted as if that was my angle and it really isn't. I went to all the Open Days. Love an Open Day.

And the assumption that all 18 year olds miraculously turn into mature, responsible, knowledgeable adults at midnight on their 18th birthday, and that all year 13 DC turn 18 at the beginning of the school year.

If that was the case we wouldn't get proper adults posting on MN and other social media asking for advice either.

Having a summer birthday meant that DD was 16 when we started going to open days. No hotel will allow a 16 year old to stay without an adult, so I went with her.

When someone tries to shame you put of supporting your children, they are not on your side.

They may well be hyper competitive and playing mind games though. Really mean and antisocial.

Race to the bottom comes to mind.

BTW my DD who wanted me to go to open days with her is now a very independent young lady.

As somebody who has attended countless open days, I can assure you that the majority of prospective students attend accompanied by least one parent. It has been this way for many years now.

Why, though?

DH has had several medical appointment recently, and every healthcare professional he saw was wearing a rainbow lanyard.

If your cousin finds this comforting there is no point disillusioning him, but every Oxford don loves a good debate and none are afraid a teenager will best them. Nor is any academic I know this subjective.

Very bright YP sometimes get a bit carried away.

For example, the NY Times columnist David French is a conservative evangelical Christian and is a graduate of famously liberal Harvard Law School. He has written eloquently about being a fish out of water there and having his views attacked by other students, but never about being academically penalised.

He’s written about his friendship with an evangelical classmate, a woman called Ruth, who was equally out of place. Has she been penalised professionally? No, she is now a Professor of Law with a named chair - at Harvard Law School.

Signalling support for the cause. Same as a daffodil for cancer research or a poppy for remembrance.

Yes, I can assure you that the Young Torys were flourishing in my Oxford days. Simon Kuper is right that the roots of Brexit were in late 80s Oxford. The Union was a hotbed of future Tory frontbenchers -- those candidates didn't get admitted by faking leftwing credentials at interview. Six of the seven men running in the Tory leadership contest in 2019 were educated at Oxford.

@OeufsalaCanicule absolutely! I was there 1998-2002 and awash is the right word. DH (who I weirdly only met once when we were there) was there at the same time and had an uncle who was a newly made up Tory peer. He was positively hunted down by Young Tories for the first term (until they worked out he was a shameless pro-Europe leftie.)

I’m pretty convinced no one got rejected for being too right wing 😆

I’ve offered to pay for a subscription to the Free Speech Union for my son when he starts Uni in September. He doesn’t suffer fools gladly & is one to speak his mind so I thought it may offer a little protection against the woke claptrap.