Clegg and Cameron turn on Oxford University over race/wealth status of students

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-students.html

After PM's race row, Clegg wades into Oxbridge admissions row as he accuses them of being biased against poor students

Attacking elite universities: David Cameron said Oxford Oxford has a 'disgraceful' on admitting black youngsters

Nick Clegg stepped up the Government’s attacks on elite universities tonight accusing Oxford and Cambridge of being biased against poor students. The Deputy Prime Minister brushed off a furious response from academics over David Cameron’s claim this week that Oxford has a ‘disgraceful’ record on admitting black youngsters.

Instead, Mr Clegg upped the ante, condemning both Oxford and Cambridge, where he was a student, for failing to accept significant numbers of students from the poorest homes. The Cambridge educated Deputy Prime Minister said only 40 students from families which qualify for free school meals, meaning their income is around £16,000 or less, qualified for Oxbridge last year. He told universities they would have to do ‘a lot more’ to admit students from poorer and minority backgrounds if they wanted to charge tuition fees of £9,000 a year.

‘I think the wider point that the Prime Minister was making is absolutely right,’ Mr Clegg said. ‘One of the objectives behind our controversial reforms in the funding of universities is we’re saying to universities, “look, if you want to charge graduates more money for having the benefit of going to university, you’re going to have to do a lot, lot more to get under-represented youngsters from poor backgrounds, from black, minority ethnic backgrounds into your university”.

‘And here’s a fact: last year, only 40 – four zero – children who had been on free school meals – in other words from the more disadvantaged families in this country – got into either Oxford or Cambridge, and that was a lower number than the year before. ‘So we do need to make real efforts to say to universities, if you want to continue to get support from the taxpayer to educate our young people, you’ve got to make sure that British society is better reflected in the people you take into the university in the first place.'

Tut tut tut, imagine if the BNP said something like this, as they often do, the media circus and the main political parties would be all over them like a bad rash. But as so often nowadays, tolerance and political correctness are a one way street - a club, and you are not in that club. Neither are students of any colour for that matter, because the reason why less and less people from state education are reaching high attainment marks is for a very simple reason; the abolition of the grammar schools which was enacted by the Labour Party many decades ago purely for reasons concerning equality (of which teaching is not) and by which the un-conservative Conservative Party stood by and continues to stand by while the education system fails so many of the poorest.

...oh and nothing from the Labour Party 'opposition', rather they agree with the Conservatives, as usual!

I have a revolutionary idea here, bring back the grammar schools and assess people on their merit/grades rather than their skin colour - anyone in agreement with me there as I just find that to be common sense? what I would like to also know though, are any of the equality drones/marxoids on here willing to defend this, or will they let it slip quietly by as they usually do and continue to vote for it?

Thoughts?

[jam666]

The revolutionary idea you propose is in the UKIP Manifesto. However i generally support the idea of grammar schools as the whole issue of statistics is a very dominent issue that needs to be dealt with. What most of the media and political partys (Top 3 mainly) are failing to address on issues such as this and female mp's in westminster or asian people on work exprience in whitehall is that it should NOT matter whether your male or female, black or white, a monkey or a dog. The person who should be picked to attend in this case oxford university should be the person MOST UP TO THE JOB.

The entire multi-culturalism policy is out-dated and unwanted by many people as most people are not racist but they simply want to be treated equally to other people of a different skill colour or ethnic background which at the moment ISN'T happening as outlined in David Camerons speech as he ISN'T helping the issue hes actually making it WORSE.

This is coming from a Conservative Party supporter aswell.

[Technologic]

You get the grades, you get the place

[AgnesIO]

Oh so because more white people who are intelligent apply, it is now not right that Oxford don't let in people with poorer grades?

As Technologic said; you get the grades, you get the place.

[GommeInc]

Equality for the sake of it, ruins it. If they were kicking out people right for the job just so they could have the token "black, lesbian, gay, transgender, asian", then it's unfair for the individual who generally has the grades and can go to these top-class universities. Are Grammar schools disappearing then? I only know of the one near my old school, which is one of the famous ones in the country, or the area at least. I can't say the people who went there necessarily got into the best colleges and unversities though. In fact, they're on par with students and others who didn't go to grammar schools in the first place.

[Technologic]

Also I go to a good school because I want to go to a good uni.

[Fez]

You get the grades, you get the place

Simple as that really.

From 2012, if I apply for University with the same grades as some-one from a disadvantaged ethnic minority (I too will be 'disadvantaged', they will be put above me. How on Earth is that fair? If they have stronger grades then me and a better proposal then why shouldn't they go to university and vice versa.

[Nemo]

I disagree with this completely, but cant help but be somewhat happy its in my favour.

[Technologic]

Trying to cover their mistakes with more mistakes.... standard coalition strategy it seems

[ifuseekamy]

I guess they conveniently overlooked the amount of Asians at Oxbridge.