This is my contribution to the debate 'We should not engage in positive discrimination in order to promote diversity and inclusivity amongst the judiciary' held at the Bristol Civil Justice Centre
My sons’ school has adopted a rather grotesque version of positive discrimination- any pupil interaction is seen through the lens of identity. Any incident between boy and girl starts with his original sin and actively seeks out evidence of misogyny and/or sexual misconduct. If anything is uncovered, the boy is labelled and shamed. No agency is attributed to girls- eg their capacity as fellow humans to hurt, insult and/or exaggerate. In any incident the girl’s reports are taken as facts and the boy’s explanation, disavowal or contextualisation will only be used to lessen his “crime”. I have concluded that under current safeguarding procedures, boys are not safe in the school environment. Well-intentioned ideals to prevent real incidents of clumsy misogyny and sexual harassment have morphed into something very different. No incident is treated as an opportunity for careful and measured coaching in which all participants can grow and develop. All pre-pubescent and teenage boys are treated as members of an oppressive group guilty of toxic masculinity that must be suppressed at all costs. The boys are terrified of interacting with girls, particularly as there is a drive to criminalise wherever possible. (Non crime incidents may still be reported to police and social service and kept on a record). It is truly terrifying as a mother of sons, and insulting as a feminist to see the well-intentioned path to hell we are providing for our children. Interestingly, if I protest I am treated as a shrill outlier....not my idea of equality to have my voice removed.
I follow this subject - albeit somewhat loosely - in American colleges and their input and application systems. And the use of DEI tactics is much more pronounced, misguided and dangerous long term, I am convinced. I hope as ever that we do not follow their ways and methods even more closely and enthusiastically than we already seem to be doing. Evidence suggests that some of this DEI process can have the reverse effect to that which intended.
Who would have guessed? Treat people as untrusting, racist idiots and you get pushback...
My sons’ school has adopted a rather grotesque version of positive discrimination- any pupil interaction is seen through the lens of identity. Any incident between boy and girl starts with his original sin and actively seeks out evidence of misogyny and/or sexual misconduct. If anything is uncovered, the boy is labelled and shamed. No agency is attributed to girls- eg their capacity as fellow humans to hurt, insult and/or exaggerate. In any incident the girl’s reports are taken as facts and the boy’s explanation, disavowal or contextualisation will only be used to lessen his “crime”. I have concluded that under current safeguarding procedures, boys are not safe in the school environment. Well-intentioned ideals to prevent real incidents of clumsy misogyny and sexual harassment have morphed into something very different. No incident is treated as an opportunity for careful and measured coaching in which all participants can grow and develop. All pre-pubescent and teenage boys are treated as members of an oppressive group guilty of toxic masculinity that must be suppressed at all costs. The boys are terrified of interacting with girls, particularly as there is a drive to criminalise wherever possible. (Non crime incidents may still be reported to police and social service and kept on a record). It is truly terrifying as a mother of sons, and insulting as a feminist to see the well-intentioned path to hell we are providing for our children. Interestingly, if I protest I am treated as a shrill outlier....not my idea of equality to have my voice removed.
Very interesting, thank you.
I follow this subject - albeit somewhat loosely - in American colleges and their input and application systems. And the use of DEI tactics is much more pronounced, misguided and dangerous long term, I am convinced. I hope as ever that we do not follow their ways and methods even more closely and enthusiastically than we already seem to be doing. Evidence suggests that some of this DEI process can have the reverse effect to that which intended.
Who would have guessed? Treat people as untrusting, racist idiots and you get pushback...