Dividing our way to equality
By Fleur Elizabeth Meston, Artillery Row:
Equality legislation has enabled unfairness and division.
Last month, the University of Bristol hosted a free summer school offering Year 12 students a taste of university life. Participants stayed in student accommodation and attended sessions led by Bristol’s “world-leading academics”. Upon completion, they were guaranteed a contextual offer set two grades below the standard offer. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Parents, be warned: before you start prepping your teen for next year’s application process, there is a catch — no whites allowed.
The requirements for applying to the Insight into Bristol summer school are peculiar, as they state that applicants must “identify as Black, Asian, or of mixed backgrounds featuring one or more of these groups”. The program is explicitly aimed at meeting the needs of “Students of Colour”. A sharp-elbowed parent with a child of the wrong colour (that is to say, white) might wonder: Can someone genuinely “identify as Black” without belonging to that racial background? Moreover, what specific needs do “students of colour” have that differ from those of white students? Shouldn’t our goal be equality for all, rather than emphasising perceived differences based on race?
The University of Bristol’s attempt to justify its discriminatory summer school scheme is deeply concerning. Whilst it claims to offer a broad range of activities for all students, the Insight into Bristol summer school is specifically designed for Asian and Black heritage students. Prioritising applicants based on their ethnic background is a clear example of race-based affirmative action, undermining the principles of fairness and equality. Offering alternative programs to non-Black and non-Asian students does not excuse the discriminatory nature of this scheme. It’s time for the university to re-evaluate its approach and provide equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their race.
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