As a lecturer, I was horrified to see the treatment of protesters during and after the anti-fees protests three years ago.
I am equally worried now, as police and management do their best to maintain the image of campuses as sites of privatised, client-based services, rather than places of dissent, disagreement and debate.Places of what..?!??
Please, tell me you’re joking?
Chortle ... The irony is rather delicious.
ReplyDeleteSo, centres of "privatised, client based services" eh? Well, yes, how the hell else are they going to pay your wages? After all, when Blair's government decided that everyone should have a chance to go to University and be awarded (you'll note I didn't use the word "earn") a degree, people like this loon saw a lovely, safe career path and hopped smartly on to the bandwagon. You didn't even have to be a "good" lecturer, as the bar had been deliberately lowered in readiness for all those who previously wouldn't even have made the cut.
No longer places of "dissent, disagreement and debate"? Oh, I think they are my dear, but the debates and dissent are more about the perceived loss of entitlement these days!
*bangs head on desk*
Bunny
ReplyDeleteI remember when I did my HND many years back, at what was once a good institute of higher education. It specialised in engineering, construction and textiles courses, with an arts section tagged on about half a mile away. The debate and dissent used to be in the bar when the arts students wanted to discuss something with someone of a more practical stint, ie 'what do you think about the impact of the student anti apartheid campaign on the South African government?'
This was usually followed by the response of 'f**k off you tosser, what about the effect of seismic load on steel buildings?'
"Well, yes, how the hell else are they going to pay your wages?"
ReplyDeleteWell, the State will provide. Comrade. ;)
"This was usually followed by the response of 'f**k off you tosser, what about the effect of seismic load on steel buildings?'"
LOL!