Letters
Dissing the franchise
Dear Sir, I was disappointed at the decidedly misrepresentative nature of the information contained in your article ‘OUSU held to account’. Despite including a quotation from the VP (Women) regarding the motion to remove voting rights from the Exec, you failed to point out that Miss Cumbo has a singularly important place in this issue. This motion is particularly pertinent to women at Oxford.
Women are under-represented at all levels of this university, and the attempt to remove voting rights from the one person elected specifically to voice and vote for women’s concerns further adds to their marginalisation. It is saddening that you felt the need to include a somewhat sensationalist quotation rather than highlighting the very real issues raised by this motion.
Catherine Waddington Women’s Officer, Wadham College
OxStupidity
Dear Sir, It would have been helpful if Jess Goodman had read the ‘report’ she refers to in her ridiculously titled ‘Students from state schools are not so good after all’. She might then have questioned the study’s methodology and informed readers that the content included all sorts of wild assertions: e.g. men from state schools perform better than men from independent schools in science finals because independent school heads send their best male scientists to Cambridge.
It would also be helpful if Ms Goodman could explain where she has seen the ‘leniency’ she feels is shown to state school students in the admissions process, based on what I am sure is her own considerable experience of admitting students.
Even if the study had conclusively shown that state school and independent school performance at finals is about the same, surely this is a remarkable achievement for those that have often had far fewer education al opportunities than some of their peers? The Oxford Student must be careful that its tag-line ‘Always one step ahead’ is not deemed to have missed off the words ‘for factual inaccuracy, idle journalism and bitter polemics’.
Yours sincerely,
David Johnston Oxford Access Scheme Co-ordinator
Awareness and solidarity
Dear Sir, I would like to applaud the Oxford Student Union on its decision to link with Bir Zeit University. Palestinian institutions of Higher Learning are under seige by an expansionist and colonialist Israel. These institutions and their students need to know that there are those in the West who are aware of their plight and support their struggle.
Professor Lawrence Davidson History, West Chester University
A tale of two states
Dear Sir, I wonder if Mona Baker could tell us all how many “brutal and racist colonial enterprises” or “apartheids” in history have given their minorities full citizenship, voting rights and representation in government? For Baker, Israel will always be in the wrong: it’s the classic sign of someone who has decided upon their argument no matter what the facts are.
As for brutality and violence by Israel against Palestinians: tell me, which country recently elected a terrorist government explicitly dedicated to the genocidal annihilation of their next door neighbours? And which country recently elected a government explicitly dedicated to peace, rapprochement and the two-state solution? Kind Regards,
Chris Parker, Hertford College
The editors reserve the right to cut letters for lenghth and clarity. The views expressed in the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of The Oxford Student.
8th Jun 2006