University has been a very welcoming place for minority groups to attend. Many students want to come to this great University. But there are some black students at the University of Edinburgh.
The University of Edinburgh had only three percent of its undergraduates who were black last year. This means that the University does not even have a full black student population. Even with this small amount, some groups feel very intimidated by coming to the University of Edinburgh.
The University of Edinburgh realizes that there are issues with prejudice but does not seem willing to do anything about it. The minority group, the African Student Association, went on a hunger strike in January because they do not feel that enough is being done to help them on campus.
They feel that they are a good investment because they bring up educated children at higher levels. The University of Edinburgh also understands that they have a mission to provide opportunities to underprivileged minorities. However, this group feels that the problem is not being addressed quickly enough. They want more support from the University and more programs that will help them connect with other groups.
The University has developed programs that allow students who have special needs to participate fully in campus life. The Disabled Students’ Program and Careers in Education and Entrepreneurship are two of these initiatives. The University realized that there was room for growth in this department and created the first ever Disability Issues Committee to deal with issues related to the disability community. There is an Equity Weekend event held each year where major companies are invited to participate. This is an initiative that was started because many companies are now looking for employees with disabilities.
The University of Edinburgh group is very active in maintaining the standard of academic performance for all students. The University provides extra help for students who need it to ensure that every student reaches their full potential. There are over 45 Black Students’ Transitional Assistance Programs (TAP) in place. These programs are specifically for students who need support to achieve their degree goals. They offer financial assistance, job placement assistance, and educational assistance.
The University of Edinburgh had previously launched a project to develop workplace inclusion strategies. This group works closely with local businesses to increase cultural competency and diversity within the workplace. It also encourages students to participate in recruitment drives and offers scholarships for studying in other countries. Another initiative that the group oversees is the Office for Equity Access. This office facilitates equal access for all minority groups in campus life, ensuring that everyone enjoys equal access to facilities and employment opportunities.
The Equity Access office consults and liaises with smaller businesses to ensure that they promote employment opportunities for those from ethnic backgrounds other than the dominant White British population. The group also works with students and staff at the university to promote awareness of equality and racism. The University of Edinburgh Black Students’ Union (udsu) is one such society active within the campus life. The UDSU conducts regular campaigns and events to support students and fight racism on campus.
The group organizes marches and solidarity activities to coincide with various events such as the St Patrick’s Day parade, which has many minority students participating. Other popular events include the “Indian Week” festival, hosting a” Literature Festival,” and hosting an event in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. The UDSU also helps to build links with other organizations such as the Oriel College Union (OLU), the Gay and Lesbian Student Union (gbt uk), and the disabled student union (new uk). It also provides a platform for student speakers and freshers to engage with the widest possible audience.
Black and Lesbian Edinburgh
In recent weeks the UK has been debating a piece of legislation, the Same-sex Marriage Act, which if passed will see same-sex marriage legal in England and Wales within the year. This has caused a vast debate in the Scottish National Assembly (SNA), with the main parties fighting hard against the move. The latest controversy surrounds plans to allow same-sex couples to use a single venue for same-sex weddings and civil partnerships. If the move is passed, the Scottish government will become the first major country in the world to legalise same-sex marriages.
This is seen as a crucial step forward for Scotland, following last year’s vote to legalise same-sex marriage. However, it will be welcomed by many thousands of patriotic gay and lesbian supporters throughout the UK. The Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP), currently the UK’s largest party, could vote on whether to back the Scottish Parliament’s plans. This would result in a split, with the pro-unionists hoping to delay the legislation until the general election due in June next year. This would put the Independence Party, led by Alex Salmond, the potential winner if there was a split.
However, there is hope for the couple, who have made the trip to Edinburgh to ‘marry in the sun’. There are, however, certain areas where same-sex marriages would not be allowed. These include Westminster, London, Claddagh and Cardiff. The City of Westminster is the location of the Houses of Parliament, where the prime minister lives and is a frequent visitor. The Commons, where other Westminster MP’s also lives, would also be off-limits, although they are within Westminster.
The couple are believed to have been due to get married in France, but were refused a certificate of ‘engagement’ by the French authorities. This may sound like a small issue, but it was emblematic of the French attitude towards homosexuality. At the time, France was under pressure from other European nations over its stance on gay marriage. So, the couple would have been risking their lives, travelling to a country where the laws could not protect them.
If the wedding was to go ahead, it would have marked the beginning of a new era in public relations. It would have presented the city centre with a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate their support for the couple and improve their public profile when the UK’s image abroad was at a low point. While this may seem a little thing, it can make a huge difference in boosting the city centre’s reputation overseas. In the wake of the Paris attacks, the UK has been under pressure to reassure its citizens that they are safe in places like Paris.
Being Edinburgh’s capital, it is expected that the couple’s visit would have been the catalyst for greater support within the city. ‘The Big Gay Bake Off’, which features baking contests for the contestants, was hugely popular with tourists in the summer, but would the event have been so successful if it had not featured openly gay people? Maybe not, but it did feature one of the most visible gay figures in the UK, so it could have helped. And it may have prompted bigger events such as ‘Gay Pride’ in London in February, which organisers hope will encourage more tourists to participate.
Another way the city centre could use the spotlight on its gay scene is to host a similar event on the same day as the opening, to attract more visitors and boost trade. Suppose the previous Gay Pride festival was like a siesta with nothing happening in the city. What could be better on a historic day when people from all over the world descend on the city to watch the opening ceremony? The festival is traditionally held on the anniversary of the D-day and the civil war. Could the city centre use the extra publicity that could result from the couple visiting at the same time?
The couple’s experience could also help drum up interest in the Edinburgh arts festival, which takes place between August and September. Stalls are selling all sorts of things, but this year there will be a section specifically for the lesbian community. It has always been said that the arts festival was founded by a Scot, the first of several ‘Gayspire’ Scot who founded the Edinburgh Fringe. Could the couple visit during the run of the festival and help drum up interest? A short word of warning though: don’t expect the artist’s studio in the West End to be the target of any queers.
The University of Edinburgh Against Racism
The University of Edinburgh stands against Racism. We all know what Racism is, we all see it, and we have all heard the epithet “Racism is bad”. But what is Racism? Where did it come from? And why has it suddenly turned into a buzzword that is associated with the University of Edinburgh?
The word “Racism” comes from the first Oxford English Dictionary. In the OED, racism is defined as the systematic discrimination of persons based on race, color, nationality, ethic group, or sex. The history of Racism is very much intertwined with the history of slavery. Throughout Africa and the Middle East, men were bought and sold by the Europeans and treated as commodities. Slavery was an essential aspect of European development, and therefore, at the time of the slave trade, many people in the world were made slaves.
There is a strong connection between the concept of Slavery and the idea of Racism. The two words are interchangeable; they both stem from the same root. Slaves were persons who were made to work for the benefit of a master. During the American revolution, some colonists felt that the Africans were being treated as though they were nothing more than animals, and this is when the concept of Slavery started. Slaves in early America were referred to as “apes” by the Europeans.
Throughout the centuries, there were different forms of Slavery. The first was in China, where slaves were made to work in Factories or salt mines. Another form of Slavery existed in England. The British were well known for buying huge numbers of African slaves. They would take these slaves across the Atlantic Ocean to the new world and use them as workers on their sugar plantations.
Today, millions of Africans and hundreds of thousands of Asians in the UK suffer at the hands of their Masters in the UK. So, does the University of Edinburgh truly believe that they do not have a problem with racism? Does it believe in free speech? I think not, as the above facts demonstrate that they are the same.
Universities in the UK are a breeding ground for disgusting and sick minds who prey on unsuspecting naive students. It is no wonder that there are cases of sexual harassment in the universities of UK. One can only imagine what kind of person would walk into a university, launch an attack against a black student, or attack anyone who looks like a black person. Such hate crimes need to be stopped right now.
The other reason that the University of Edinburgh Against Racism Campaign is important is the lack of awareness that there is a problem with racism. Most of us live in a white man’s world and there is very little room for racism. We are so used to seeing blatantly racist people, such as the Duke of Edinburgh, yet we are so uneducated and so blinded by our privilege that we fail to see that there are still people who cannot see any difference between what is right or wrong. Until this becomes widely known, we will continue to suffer from the consequences of racism, until our leaders do something about it.
As a freshman at the University of Edinburgh, I am proud that there is a group opposing racism and sexism. They make a difference each day by standing up to those who would act on behalf of those who wish to oppress us. In a world where more people support white power and supremacy than those who are willing to defend and protect others from such hate, we must stand against it wherever we may be. We must make sure that our colleges and universities do not fall into the hands of such hate groups. Until the University of Edinburgh stops being a breeding ground for the worst of the worst, I will continue to fight against racism every day.
Engaging With Scientific Racism in the Classroom
For many students, science can be a way to be involved and be “good” in the community. But some of my black students wish that they could take a step back from the microscope and see the world the way others see it. I have noticed that some of them are turned off by science. This is unfortunate because the more students see, learn and experience science in a broad spectrum the more enriched their lives will be. In other words, engaging in scientific racism can do more harm than good. Let me explain.
When my black female students get excited about science, they just want to know how they did. They do not want to know what the white people did or the results of their experiment. It’s always the same message. “I am just as good at this as you are.”
When my white students get excited about scientific racism, they’re usually elated because they are doing great. They think that if they apply harder they will improve. And they also do not care who knows they’re doing better than the person of color. They are content with being the best. Unfortunately, I have observed that the sense of self-worth diminishes when the students get bored or disappointed.
We have to address the issue of self-worth in our students if we are going to make sure they are engaged. Self-worth can start with the classroom environment. Teachers must create an engagement climate that encourages students to become active participants. If students feel like they are being ignored or undermined, they will withdraw into themselves. Their interest in learning will decline.
Students must come first when making decisions. As teachers, we have to ensure that we create an instructional environment where the student is engaged. The first step is to give them a compelling case study that will compel them to consider their behaviors and thoughts.
Next, we have to make sure that there is a climate of support for the student’s leadership development. If we are struggling with this, we should take a look at our institutional culture. How does our instructional practices reinforce anti-intellectual attitudes? Are our curriculums too safe and dry?
Finally, I encourage all teachers to take a close look at their student’s behavioral patterns. Are there clear patterns of disengagement? If so, we have to figure out why. If there is a clear cultural climate of white fear, our educational system fails our young people.
It is time to face these issues head on. Educators must work to create a climate in which it is easy for our students to engage. If we go wrong to do this, we are doing our children a great disservice. When students are engaged, they understand the material and can use it in multiple contexts.
When they come across theories, data, and experiments, they will not absorb everything they read. That’s true for the most part, anyway. But when there is a pattern of willful, systemic, and other kinds of racialized disregard for students’ ability to participate meaningfully in the class, it can lead to academic failure. Engaging students in what might be viewed as “racialized” topics, activities, and experiences will help them make it through those tough times.
This does not mean that tutors have to give up teaching. I would go as far as to say that we have to go beyond the “teacher’s block.” I say this because many of the problems stem from ingrained habits that need to be challenged and changed. For example, the way that many students learn the concepts of color, science, and math (especially when it comes to calculus) by listening to some form of media, and then repeating this information to themselves while looking at a computer screen, then the educational system is perpetuating scientific racism.
So the first step to addressing this problem is for the teacher to get out into the classroom and engage the blacked students. In a recent study by the National Association for Black Children, almost 90 percent said that they felt like their teacher-supported their ideas or opinions, rather than dismissing them as stupid, poor performers, or worse. This, as you might expect, goes a long way toward changing student attitudes. In addition, when students feel as if their teacher is giving them respect, they are much more likely to engage with them in a meaningful way.
In addition, when teachers take the time to listen and engage with their students, they become engaged in the material and pick up on the kid’s personality traits and personality styles. This makes for a more meaningful classroom discussion.
In a recent workshop I attended, the moderator asked everyone to raise their hand if they had any experiences in your classroom where the teacher talked down to you or made a direct statement about your ideas. The overwhelming response was an overwhelming majority of hands raised. Once the moderator had gathered all of the hand signals, he brought them back up, asked each person to raise their hand, and then repeated the question to the audience.
Blacked Out at the University of Edinburgh
The launch of the University of Edinburgh Black Lives Matter campaign has caused quite a stir among students and faculty at the university. There have been various incidents in which students in Edinburgh have demonstrated against police brutality and capitalism. However, there have also been other incidents in which student groups have demonstrated against racism and sexism. It seems that these two themes are becoming more mixed in conjunction with each other.
This event has received widespread criticism from across the UK and Europe. There was even a petition released by students at the University of Edinburgh calling for resigning the university’s involvement in this event. One of the main concerns from the crowd is the notion that the event is an attempt by student groups to align themselves with far-right organizations. This is a common problem on many college campuses across the UK at the moment. Some students decided to organize an event in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in America and elsewhere is no coincidence. Student organizers often find themselves unable to effectively handle situations like these because of their lack of understanding about the political climate and the history of social movements.
The students seem to be missing because the events being organized on UK campuses today are part of a long-term trend of organizing protest events against policies that benefit the majority of people on our planet. Rather than a spontaneous, angry mob coming together to hurl rocks or other objects at government officials and police officers, these events evolve as part of a larger system which seeks to change policy through the force of numbers. Of course, there’ll always be a point of spontaneity involved in any protest event, but the goal should never be to resort to physical violence.
At the University of Edinburgh, a group of students attempted to stage a mock eviction of a landlord. The idea of staging an event like this in a modern city would be highly inappropriate. But this is exactly what happened. Many young people came out onto the streets and began throwing stones and other items at the landlord’s window. When he eventually opened the door, a police officer arrested one of the participants for Disorder Occurrence. This, of course, brought the issue of the blacked out windows front and center and the landlord quickly lost support among his tenant base.
The fact that these two incidents were caught on tape and that the police were involved and the footage was later used as evidence made the situation more understandable. It also reminded the rest of the student body at the University of Edinburgh that their actions should not be taken lightly. There is no room for racial discrimination of any kind, especially when it comes to human beings as we see ourselves. If a student group has a group of peaceful protesters in attendance at any given event, the odds are very good that there would be little or no chance of racial discrimination.
But is this the Scotland campus a microcosm of a larger problem?
Is there a pattern here of other minority groups coming together and uniting to protest against a common problem? The answer is no. What has been happening recently is part of a long series of events that have been taking place for years. The Scottish government has attempted to remedy the situation by creating guidelines for student groups on issues of community responsibility. Still, these guidelines fall short of actually requiring any groups to take responsibility for their community.
What can we learn from this example?
The reality is that we cannot expect to see this kind of thing being repeated in the future anywhere in the world. Groups who organize events like the ones at University of Edinburgh have a responsibility to their students, residents, the business community, and Edinburgh’s city. If a group fails to show up to even one of these events, they may violate the Student Rights Act and the Event Management Act.
There is no reason why student groups at the Universities of Edinburgh should be required to take responsibility for their community-based events. It is possible, though perhaps unlikely, that there will be increased pressure placed on such groups in the future due to this situation. If a group is chosen to host a blacked-out event that they have failed to deliver on, it is possible that this could be construed as a reflection on the group in question.
Even if the event was successful and beneficial to everyone, there may still be damaging to the group’s reputation in question. This is exactly why student groups need to be very careful when organizing such events. They need to make sure that their actions do not violate any laws, but they also uphold a sense of respect for everyone who came to be at the event.