Thousands March Against Tory Education Bill
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www.thegryphon.co.uk @_TheGryphon Issue8 25/11/16 TheofficialnewspaperofLeeds University Racism towards the First Lady cannot be ignored How the issue is stillrife in the US Page 9 In the MiddleChat to WhiteLies We caught up with the band about their latest album, Friends ThousandsMarch Against InThe Middle, page 6 Tory Education Bill Over15,000students andlecturerscampaigned against the proposed changes IanWhite fewwereevencalling fornothing short many speculatingthatevenOxford Euan Hammond of aMarxist revolution,but chants of with itsworld-famousreputationmay “One solution,Revolution”gainedlittle not be guaranteed agold-medalstatus Science in the Post-Truth Age Last Saturday,thousands of students traction in thecrowdscomparedtoold underthe newrules.LSE,Liverpooland How will scientific evidence hold up andlecturers from acrossthe UK favourites,“What do we want?Free Bristolare also expectedtoscore poorly. under Trump’s presidency? travelledtoLondontoopposeimminent education,” and, “Ohwhenthe beans BristolVice-Chancellor,ProfHugh Page 18 government changestoHigher come outthe tin”. Brady commented: “UKinstitutions Education.The marchfromParkLane Perhapsthe most controversialelement have asuperbreputation worldwide, and to ParliamentSquarewas followed by of theTorybill is theimplementation it wouldbeashame if thegovernment arallyincluding speakers such as the of theTeachingExcellenceFramework were to damage that throughan NUSpresident,MaliaBouattia, and (TEF). Thenew frameworkwillcreate inappropriateuse of metrics.” theprominent left-wingwriterand auniversityleaguetable basedon Arecent Guardian survey foundthat journalist,OwenJones. ratingsfor teaching quality.However, Russell groupuniversitieswerelessthan When askedwhy they were marching, criticsofthe bill have raised concerns on-board with thenew bill.Onlysix of protesters gave awiderange of answers. over whichstatisticswillbeusedto 20 have agreed to participateinthe TEF, Many were angryabout thenew Higher decide gold,silverand bronze ratings, whilepotential remainsfor alarge- Education Bill andits implicationsfor worrying whetherpurefigurescan scaleboycott amongstthose refusing to universitystudentsand staff,others provideanaccurate representation ofall comment. TheUniversityofLeedshas EthicalFashion in the 21st Century wanted areversetothe cuts in college universities. as yetgiven no indication that they will Fashion explore how we can shop fundingset to be implemented during Predictionsofwhich institutions will take part in anyboycott. ethically without breaking the bank thecourseofthe currentParliament. A come outontop aresurprising, with Read more on page 2 In The Middle, Page 11 2 | News thegryphon.co.uk Editor’s Letter: Dear StudentsofLeeds, theresponsibilitythatcomes with it.The mediacoverageof Trumpwas overwhelmingly negative,and oftenfailedtotake It’s beenatumultuous week forthe himseriously, butwhatthe mediaseemedtofail to graspwas Contents mediaacross thepondinAmerica, that simply by giving himsomuchair-timetheywereaidinghis aweekthathas causedmanyin campaign.The old adageof‘No publicityisbad publicity’ could theindustrytostopand think easilybereplacedwith‘Badpublicity is good publicity’ in this 3-7 News abouttheir role in society. Donald election. Hispolicies, although outrageous andcontroversial, were Trumphas always hadanuneasy broadcasteverywhere, andthe negative mediaattention merely 8-11 Views relationship with mediaoutlets in the addedfurther martyrdomtohis cause.Evennow Ibet you could US,and thisweekthe President-elect recite anumberofTrump’s proposed policies;his planstobuild a 13-15 Features organisedaseriesofmeetingstoasserthis wall,toban Muslims entering thecountry,toremovethe US from dominance over theseplatforms. climatechange deals-buthow manyofHillary Clinton’spolicies 16-17 Business couldyou tell me? Firstlyhesummonedall majorNewsnetworkstoTrump Tower 18-19 Science to give them aseriousdressing down forwhathereferredtoasthe As anewspaper editor,eventhoughveryfar removedfromthe ‘deceitful,dishonest media’ who‘gotitwrong’.Helater organised US elections, Iencountered similarproblems.Wehad students 20 Society ameeting with TheNew York Times (amongst much grumbling queuinguptohavetheir sayonTrump,onhis policies, howhe anddrama)where he complained of their‘rough’ coverage of rose to fame, whovoted forhim -and it’s such ashame we didn’t 21-24 Sports himbut stressedhis desire foramorepositiverelationship going seeasmuchinterestinHillary Clinton. Trumpmay have seta forward. It’s reallyworryingtosee thePresident directing media trendfor thefuture; in thispost-truthage,itseems that grabbing representatives to hisevery beckand whim.It’simportant, theheadlines with themostcontroversial policies is theway to Quoteofthe Week nowmorethan ever,thatthe mediamaintains an unbiased winanelection. As representativesofafreeand democraticmedia, independence,able to challengesuchanunaccountable and we must work collaborativelytoensurethatthisdoesnot happen. untransparentfigure. Donald Trump’selection hasactuallyseenastrengtheningof “ “ “ “ It’ll beinteresting “ to see how Cars 3 independentmedia,with TheNew York Times seeing avastincrease Trumpalready seemstobepredicting(plotting?) thedemise in donationsafter theresultwas announced.It’sreassuringto addresses thefact of certain institutions, as he constantly refers to TheNew York know that amongstall thefearand biting politicalcontroversy that Materisalmost Times as ‘failing’, with the WashingtonPost and Time having also thiselectionhas produced,people still cravethe unbiasedtruth, “definitely a Trump come underfire.However,Trump’s near obsessionwiththe news andasthe mediawemustmakesurewe’re able to providethat. supporter outlets, andhis desire to weaken theirresolve,shows just how much powerthe mediaactuallyhas,and howmuchofakey player Jessica Murray they were in thiselection. Trump, amongmanyothers,constantly Editor-in-Chief Fred Delicious complained of an election ‘rigged’ by themedia andwhile their [email protected] complaints oftenrangout like thewailsofabad loser, themedia must acknowledgethe powerithas to sway publicopinion and Credits Continued from front page Editor-In-Chief ~ JessicaMurray Thediversity of issues theprotesters Malia Bouattia warned against Editors of theWeek hoped to raise wasalsoreflectedinthe gambling with the futures of students AssociateEditor ~ range of slogansonthe placards they and staff: “The government is DominicJohnson were carrying,suchas‘CutWar Not running at pace with adeeply risky DigitalAssociate ~ Welfare’,‘EndIslamophobia’,‘No to ideologicallyled market experiment FloraTiley Trump’,‘Fightfor Socialism’, ‘Tories in further and higher education, Out’ andthe quaintly British, ‘Stop and students and lecturers, who will News ~Polly Hatcher, suffer most as aresult,are clear that BeingSilly’. Sarah Berry,Euan this can’t be allowed to happen.” Hammond Farleftgroupssuchasthe Socialist Many voiced fears that aloosening Workers Party(SWP) were outinforce, Society ~ElsaAmri, Bea of regulation would allow private although onedemonstratorsaiditwas Warleta companies to easily establish forprofit difficulttodetermine whetherthey educational institutions and label Features ~Jessie were theretosupport theprotest or them as universities, something the Florence Jones, Hannah more interested in trying to pick up Macaulay, Ella Healing Government insists will offer students newrecruits. more choice. But many fear the Views ~RoryClaydon, Unlike demonstrationsinprevious potential of Trump-style universities LiamKerrigan, Jess years, at no pointdid thingsturnugly. beginning to operate in Britain. Readett Insteadofkettlingdemonstrators, Half adozen other issues were raised Xa Rodger, Heather Nash, Will at the demonstration, suggesting Science ~Sam police were friendly andhelpful. Arnoldand James Candler protesters were not outraged by any McMaster,Dougie At the rally in Parliament Square Arts Editors Phillips towards the end of the day, several single policy. Yet it is clear that unease is growing around the government’s speakers criticised the planned TEF The Arts team provided some brilliant Business ~Sam Bailey, ongoing commercialisation of the MatthewMoore and called for aboycott of the National coverage of the Leeds Creatives event Student Survey (NSS) in order to higher education system and what on Tuesday, interviewing many of the Sport ~LukeEtheridge, disrupt the implementation of the negative effects it could have for speakers -lookout fortheir articles in JamesFelton, John Gibby controversial policy which could university students and staff. next week’s issue. resultin further increases in tuition Design ~Becky Nolan, Frazer Sparham fees. thegryphon.co.uk News | 3 Vigilfor lives lost to trans hate Studentsgathertocommemorate thosekilled as aresultoftransphobic violenceand hate Sarah Berry It is estimatedthat every three days, somewhere in the diversityofhuman lifecan be truly appreciated the world,anothertransgender person is killed. and celebrated.” On Monday evening, agroup of people (many The statement wenton: “We are taking this Afterwards,people were invited to join adiscussion drenched, some holding lanterns) filled the foyer opportunity to remember all thosewho have been in the Union. It was followedbyatransonly film of the University’s Uniontotakepart in aminute’s unlawfullykilled this year.Wewillremember the screening, alongwith badgemakingand cake. silence to remember all of thetrans people who have countless youngtrans peoplewho have diedfrom Those in attendance formed asmallpart