Is this class warfare?
CHANCELLOR GORDON BROWN'S pledge to allocate extra funds for the creation of 'talent-spotting' teams aimed at preventing exceptional students from slipping through the net has been targeted at Oxford.
The move has been overshadowed by reaction to the Chancellor's comments last week, branding the University as an "old school tie" institution. And the fiasco reached new heights on Tuesday as Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott threatened to fine universities who fail to admit an adequate number of state school pupils.
Widespread fury followed the government's attack on the University after it emerged that Laura Spence, who initiated the controversy last week, was beaten to a place at Magdalen College by other pupils from comprehensive schools, and came only 11th out of the 23 candidates interviewed.
The Independent Schools Council, which represents the majority of schools in the independent sector, described the Chancellor's intervention as "ill-informed and unhelpful". In a statement, the ISC said: "Most independent schools could also cite recent cases of equally talented and promising sixth formers who had incomprehensibly been rejected by Oxbridge and other universities." They also criticised John Prescott's threat of levying fines, and commented: "It must be for universities themselves, free from financial blackmail, to make the decisions about who will best benefit from their courses."
These sentiments were echoed by a teacher at St Mary's Girls School, Ascot, who described the recent comments by ministers as "ill-informed and rather stupid." She remarked: "Pupils from the private sector feel they're at a disadvantage too. Whichever side of the fence you're sitting on, it always seems easier on the other."
The government has come under fire from the Conservatives, who have accused it of fuelling an unnecessary class war. David Willetts, Shadow Secretary of State said: "John Prescott is fighting ancient battles in the class war, instead of tackling the issues that worry the majority of people in Britain today." He added: "His speech shows how out of touch he is." William Hague supported his colleague in an article in Wednesday's Daily Telegraph, which spoke of his experiences as a student at Magdalen College.
Lib Dem MP, Dr Evan Harris, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: "While we need to get more university applications from students from inner cities and poorer backgrounds, it is the Government's own policies that have made students even poorer." He also raised the issue of the controversial 'top-up' fees that could be on the cards: "If Downing Street and the top universities succeed in bringing in 'top-up' fees it would be great news for the Treasury but a disaster for future students."
This backlash against the government continued, with claims that the whole controversy is a smokescreen to divert attention away from the issue of tuition fees. Writing in The Times on Tuesday, Libby Purves commented: "The factor which really is discernibly starting to turn universities into ghettoes of middle-class influence is the levying of tuition fees and the abolition of the student grant."
Even Harvard University, where Laura Spence has resorted to the study of the less competitive Biochemistry, cannot understand the commotion. Alan Wirzbicki, editor of Harvard's daily newspaper, observed: "There is a very different mind-set here. Harvard tries very hard to be egalitarian in many ways but there are still some deeply entrenched vestiges of elitism that aren't going to go away." In America, the idea of the Federal government attacking an institution such as Harvard is almost unheard of, as it is not only seen as a centre of excellence, but also has a powerful body of alumni. Harvard itself is renowned for harbouring certain elitist attitudes, such as the practice of 'legacy admissions', where applicants whose parents attended Harvard are given preference over other candidates of equal ability.
25th May 2000