More than 150 Oxford academics protest against Oriel College’s decision to keep the Imperialist statue. The college was accused of “institutional racism” last month after its governing body announced it would not move the statue of Mr Rhodes from outside the building.
The academics said they would boycott tutorials for Oriel’s undergraduates and not participate in any outreach and access work, including interviews with undergraduates.
Lord Wharton, chairman of the Office for Students, criticized the boycott as “totally unacceptable” if it caused current or potential students to be “at a disadvantage in any way”, reports the Telegraph.
Robert Halfon, conservative chairman of the select education committee, urged the university’s vice-chancellor to “make it very clear” that academics should “do their job”.
He questioned the teachers ‘priorities and asked:’ Is this a political attitude or is it about looking for students who pay more than £ 9,000 a year to study at their university?
Tim Loughton, a former education minister, lambasted Oxford academics as showing “incredible arrogance”.
He added: “This is academic blackmail of a group of academics who think their own political views should trump those of others, and if they don’t get what they want then all the innocent students who fall under their boycott will become the victims. “
According to the Telegraph, some Oxford academics called the boycott “pathetic” and “ridiculous.”
But Danny Dorling, Halford Mackinder geography professor at St Peter’s College and one of the signatories to the boycott, said the move was meant to show Oriel that teachers were “not very happy with what was going on”.
READ MORE: Statue of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes saved amid BLM protests
“Oriel College’s decision not to remove the Cecil Rhodes statue undermines us all. Despite the votes in favor of its student common rooms and despite an earlier board vote expressing their wish to remove it, Oriel has now decided not to do so.
“In the face of Oriel’s stubborn attachment to a statue that glorifies colonialism and the wealth it has produced for the college, we believe we have no choice but to withdraw all discretionary work and good collaboration. will.”
Earlier this week, a dispute emerged over the decision to remove the Queen’s portrait from Magdalen College over concerns over her “colonial ties”.
Members of the college common room voted overwhelmingly to remove the photo.
The president of Magdalen College strongly defended their right to remove the portrait after Gavin Williamson, the secretary of education, called the move “absurd.”
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This notice was published: 2021-06-10 01:49:18
