University’s ‘white privilege’ quiz tests lecturers’ patience

WEARING second-hand clothes can be an example of white privilege, university students have been told in a compulsory diversity course.

The University of Kent has instructed every student to complete the fourhour online module, covering topics such as white privilege, microaggressions and pronouns.

The course, which is titled “Expect Respect” and has been seen by The Daily Telegraph, includes a white privilege quiz where participants are asked to pick which of 13 options are societal benefits allegedly enjoyed by white people in the UK.

If the student ticks all 13, a gold star is awarded, and if not a button appears directing them to retry.

One white privilege example listed is: “I can swear, or dress in secondhand clothes, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of my race.”

Other examples include “I can go shopping without being followed or harassed” and “I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race”.

Lecturers have been told in an internal email: “We expect all students, regardless of programme, level or site of study, to complete the module.” It has prompted a furious backlash from professors.

“I’m not going to tell students to do this module,” said Ellie Lee, a professor of family and parenting research at the university, adding “quite a lot” of colleagues had followed suit.

“Encouraging people in the academy to narrow their field of reading and narrow students’ reading seems to me to be simply philistine and irresponsible.

“Students are being instructed

‘Promoting conformism on campuses, there’s a danger you indoctrinate people into woke dogma’

through this module that there is a correct way of thinking.”

Prof Frank Furedi, a sociologist at Kent and author of 100 Years of Identity

Crisis, criticised the “thought policing” move, adding: “There’s a danger of promoting conformism on campuses under the guise of education that you indoctrinate people into woke dogma.”

A spokesman for the university said the module was “supporting everyone to ensure all members of our community are treated with dignity and respect”.