 |
| Bullingdon Boys at Oxford University, back row 2nd in is David Cameron, front row 3rd along is Boris Johnson. |
I am not saying that those black former Oxbridge students, that have said that they did not witness racism or believe that their university is institutionally racist, are 'sell outs' or Uncle Toms'. They are doing what they have always known how to do; go along with the white elitists, make no mention of racism, ignoring any slights to you or other black people and you may be able to progress. Some black people are able to do this and their success, past and future depends on it. The black community celebrates their success, whilst holding on to the hope, that one day, those black people who have achieved, may use their position to help others in their community to climb the ladder without fear of white elitists patting their head so hard that they slide back down.
However, a lot of black people are too angry to 'play the white man'. Those lucky enough to come from a secure financial and family background, maybe even going to private school, are protected, to a certain extent, from the harsh realities of racism in our society.
If your parents came over here from the Caribbean in the 1950's; if you lived on a council estate, where some poor white people insulted you and your family on a daily basis to make themselves feel better; if your teachers thought that your English wasn't a good enough standard, based partly on the fact that at home a mixture of English and Patois or Creole was spoken; if they automatically entered black pupils for practical subjects, regardless of how bright they were; if you have been patronised and insulted at various schools, workplaces and social settings for years; you are highly likely to be too angry to 'play the white man'.
The black Oxbridge professors and alumni that are speaking out in defence of the racism claims against those colleges are not bad people. They are just doing what they need to do to survive. Some of us survive better than others and we all survive in the way that our conscience dictates.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Black male applicant's experience on applying to Oxford, in his own words:
" I applied to study medicine at Oxford last year. I'm a black male, went to a under-achieving, inner-London comprehensive, 5A's at A-Level, straight string of A*'s at GCSE, top marks in the entrance exam etc. Stayed over for a few nights. Had 4 interviews. The competition was stiff. I was able to chat with other candidates, almost all of whom seemed to be incredibly rich, screaming arrogant and very narrow-minded. I felt like I didn't belong at all; eyes would glare as I stumbled to the top of a tower at Exeter College, Oxford, my Primark - which I had saved pocket-money for - crackling a little. All of the interviews, I thought, went surprisingly well. The tutors seemed really enthusiastic, I was challenging myself and had a smashing time throughout the interviews themselves.I didn't receive any offer.In fact, the feedback email I received a few weeks later detailed 'how exceptional a candidate I was at interview' - filled with praise upon praise, and then ... a remark ... 'unfortunately, although the panel all agreed you really were excellent on the whole, competition was just too stiff.'' I still have no idea what I did wrong. Maybe I should have just worn a mask or something for the interviews.Still, I'm happy. I went on to receive 3 offer medical offers."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2010/12/09/racism-at-oxford-with-three-real-life-examples/
By Musa Okwonga
Mr Okwonga was 'angry' at the claims made by David Lammy. Mr Okwonga went to Eton. Please read what he said by clicking the link above.
The comment left by ' was interesting, I have copied and pasted the comments so any mistakes are the author's.
"I'm afraid I have to disagree, and just to take us right back to university, i'll state my pioints one by one, because I think there are a few ideas that need to be teased out here, and not really in order of importance:
1) racism is multi-faceted. One of the reasons it is so hard to bring race cases and to 'prove' them is because of this. So you, a black man (born elsewhere?), schooled at Eton, went to Oxford and can identify only three incidents of racism (that you noticed). I would argue that your experience of racism might not be very typical of black Britons. IF the exposure to Eton culture, Etonian eloquence, and general understanding of the background makes you typical, that in itself is elitism working through racism! You really shoudl not be 'typical' of black students if Oxford wants to claim diversity.
2) and related to that point. You talk a lot about the three separate incidents. If we were to do that with racism, neo-imperialism, patriarchy, we would look at all incidents as one off and not connected. but actually, like these, racism works in an insidious way and is far reaching, and we actually have to join up the dots to see its real effect. Just to say 'oh these three things happened over 4 years' trivialises how these kinds of prejudice work.
3) If you go to Oxbridge and you keep your head down and all you want to do is graduate, then yes, maybe you will feel that they are three separate incidents not connected to institutionalised racism at all (I think that is the racism Lammy is talking about, that does not seem to be the racism you are talking about when you say 'people' can be racist at Oxford, but 'Oxford', the institution, isn't). But, if you are involved in student politics, actively involved in icreasing representation, working to encourage applications and acceptances, and generally have your voice heard as a minority in Oxbridge, yes, racism is quite apparent. I was at Cambridge, we started a Caribbean soc that was very active, and we launched the Black Book. the obstances we faced were huge!
4) i agree that it is not helpful to epilogue about racism at Oxbridge through fear of it turning anyone who wants an education and does not want to sacrifice diversity. but with half of all 3 a black students making applications, we at least know that is not a reason they did not apply. It starts to smeel of racism when only 1 in 6 get in, compared to 1 in 3 for white students.
5) If youlook around your friends at Oxford from schools like Dulwich, Kings, City of London and your school, Eton, surely that must make you smell a rat?
6) racism crept up in several places when I was there. i read a social sciences degree, teh reading list was dismal and narrow, lectures just as much, and when I showed my wider reading and experiences in lectures and supervisons I wasn't taken seriously. I left with marks for the same paper ranging from low 2:2s to stellar firsts. I put this down to cambridge havin no idea what to do with me, I connected that to racism.
7) The admissions procedure rests largely on face to face interview - lots of room for prejudice there. Does that black boy look big and threatening? Oooh, not in Christs or Jesus, and certainly not Merton or Peterhouse.
I could go on. Please excuse typos, this is from an adroid phone on the tube!
MsCSJE
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article is by Michael Mumisa, who is a PhD candidate and Special Livingstone Scholar, Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2011/03/07/vocational-courses-is-it-because-i-is-black/
This article claims that Oxbridge colleges are being scapegoated and lays blame at the door of the black community. Some of the comments are by people that are more than happy to agree with that.
He also mentions Rob Berkeley, director of the Runnymede Trust, who graduated from Oxford. Mr Berkeley however, says: "Oxford University must wake up to the way in which it is missing out on the potential of students from Black backgrounds and work to address it. Not just because I would like to be proud of the university from which I graduated, but to justify its position as an elite university for all."
http://www.obv.org.uk/news-blogs/oxford-university-dream-too-far-black-students
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment