So gutted by tuition fees vote, although I think we all knew it would go through, in the end. My student days - which spanned the eighties - were severely disrupted by illness but I feel more nostalgic than ever for them now - such precious days. We currently get free tuition in Scotland, but I'm sure every student/lecturer up here is sickened. I feel especially angry towards the Scottish Libdems who voted for or abstained... Violence is never good and having horses/batons or metal fences - depending on your point of view - used as weapons against you must be very scary. I also felt for the poor horse that reared up. But why oh why are the front pages dominated by photo of Charles and Camilla who were UNHURT, their car got shoogled and paintbombed but they were fine? A much bigger tragedy occurred yesterday: a lying Libdem leader showed that his millionaire friends are much more important than the people who voted for him. Access to education is everything. The most poor wishing to go to university (if we can actually believe the government) and the rich won't be affected (not really), but what about all of those in between? A great post on yesterday's demo by Newsnight's Paul Mason.
5 comments:
Feel just the same.....dont know what well do when daughter wants to go to Uni because we are 'in the middle'. As for Chas & Cam...stupid to be so near all that in first place: asking for trouble.
The only 'good' thing to come out of this is that students seem to be becoming politicised again and angry rather than lethargic and apathetic. Made me smile to see my old Uni on telly last night with militant studenst shouting and getting lairy !
BTW ...LOVE to word 'shoogled I shall borrow that if its OK with you :O)
Yes, Cusp, that is definitely a good thing, seeing students politicised again. You are most welcome to shoogled!
It's all terrible. I'm shocked by it all, the police and the students (especially the one who dropped a fire extinguisher(?))
Besides the increase in tuition fees, I'm also dismayed at the government's intention to stop EMA payments to 16-19 year olds from low income families. This payment allows many, many young people from less affluent backgrounds to go to college and gain the qualifications they need for university.
I witnessed many students protesting against the EMA cuts, and from what I could tell, these were kids from the inner London borough, from diverse backgrounds, and who will be denied the opportunity of a university education for the sole reason of being too poor.
Typically, the news reports are of rioting and disorder, and that's what the public will focus on. The real issues become lost in the din of the ranting outrage of Middle England.
I'm pleased to see students becoming politicised and taking to the streets. The younger age groups are going to be able to vote for the first time in the next election, I just hope they use those votes wisely.
Hey Dig, Yes, I've read about EMA and the scheme that is supposed to replace it, which is of course seriously underfunded. The whole thing is a mess. Middle England will always be whipped into a frenzy by the details that are not the real focus. The police seem totally ill prepared/over-aggressive though I do agree with Muhamad, the fire extinguisher incident was alarming.
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