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First "safe space" notice seen at University.

I'm in my last year at UWE (University of the West of England), and I've come to notice, for the first time, a "safe space" notice.

It says that any behaviour that is offensive or abusive will result in a ban from the SU.

What I consider bizarre is the ambiguity.

Going by "offence is taken, not give", this means almost anything could be an insult so long as it offends someone. It could be an opinion, it could be an overheard joke, it could be anything.

Glad it's my last year but who's to say I won't bump into this later on.

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SJWs are slowly taking over. The disease is spreading from the US.
Reply 2
Original post by BobBobson
SJWs are slowly taking over. The disease is spreading from the US.


I was laughed at when I claimed the very same thing last year. It's a disgrace.
Original post by Dodgypirate
I'm in my last year at UWE (University of the West of England), and I've come to notice, for the first time, a "safe space" notice.

It says that any behaviour that is offensive or abusive will result in a ban from the SU.

What I consider bizarre is the ambiguity.

Going by "offence is taken, not give", this means almost anything could be an insult so long as it offends someone. It could be an opinion, it could be an overheard joke, it could be anything.

Glad it's my last year but who's to say I won't bump into this later on.


Oh dear, what happened to people having thick skins and debating like people in the real world do?
Reply 4
Original post by Dodgypirate
I'm in my last year at UWE (University of the West of England), and I've come to notice, for the first time, a "safe space" notice.

It says that any behaviour that is offensive or abusive will result in a ban from the SU.

What I consider bizarre is the ambiguity.

Going by "offence is taken, not give", this means almost anything could be an insult so long as it offends someone. It could be an opinion, it could be an overheard joke, it could be anything.

Glad it's my last year but who's to say I won't bump into this later on.


It's quite simple, don't say anything that could cause offence, whether it is a joke or not. Your student's union committee must have decided that they need a space where students can relax without being offended.
Claim that the act of declaring the area a safe space and putting up notices to that effect is offensive to your sense of common sense and morality and insist that the SU ban it from taking place.

Submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for a copy of all the evidence they considered before allowing the notice to be put up.

Sit back and watch as they get themselves tangled up in paperwork for weeks.
Original post by pjm600
It's quite simple, don't say anything that could cause offence, whether it is a joke or not. Your student's union committee must have decided that they need a space where students can relax without being offended.


So we shouldn't speak because it might upset people? Is that what you're saying?
Reply 7
Original post by Duncan2012
Claim that the act of declaring the area a safe space and putting up notices to that effect is offensive to your sense of common sense and morality and insist that the SU ban it from taking place.

Submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for a copy of all the evidence they considered before allowing the notice to be put up.

Sit back and watch as they get themselves tangled up in paperwork for weeks.


:toofunny:

Very tempting.
Reply 8
It's worse in the seminars, I have to go over my opinions several times to make sure I don't offend anyone...
Reply 9
Original post by BobBobson
So we shouldn't speak because it might upset people? Is that what you're saying?


Pretty much what is being implied.

Such a pussy generation.
Original post by pjm600
It's quite simple, don't say anything that could cause offence, whether it is a joke or not. Your student's union committee must have decided that they need a space where students can relax without being offended.


An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman walk in to a bar.... But not the SU bar at UWE because they've unwittingly taken part in a national stereotype which plays upon the notion of English subjugation of their neighbours thereby causing offence to SJWs thousands of years later.
Original post by Duncan2012
An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman walk in to a bar.... But not the SU bar at UWE because they've unwittingly taken part in a national stereotype which plays upon the notion of English subjugation of their neighbours thereby causing offence to SJWs thousands of years later.


PRSOM.

You're on a roll. :lol:
Reply 12
I wonder is TSR is banned at your uni then...
Original post by Duncan2012
Submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for a copy of all the evidence they considered before allowing the notice to be put up.

Sit back and watch as they get themselves tangled up in paperwork for weeks.


Don't waste your time. Student Unions are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Instead, get involved with the Union and try to get the policy changed from the inside. Student Unions are supposed to be democratic organisations run by their members -- but all too often you find that people are happy to complain, but not actually do anything to get policy changed.
Original post by Dodgypirate
It's worse in the seminars, I have to go over my opinions several times to make sure I don't offend anyone...


What do you study?
Original post by pjm600
It's quite simple, don't say anything that could cause offence, whether it is a joke or not. Your student's union committee must have decided that they need a space where students can relax without being offended.



You do not have the right not to be offended.And nobody needs protecting from speech.They need protecting from assault but not from ideas.If people require safe spaces then they should have stayed at home.
Original post by martin7
Don't waste your time. Student Unions are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.


The FOI would go to the uni who are not exempt.
Criminology, but I'm often in seminars with people doing Sociology.
Original post by Robby2312
You do not have the right not to be offended.And nobody needs protecting from speech.They need protecting from assault but not from ideas.If people require safe spaces then they should have stayed at home.


Especially in Universities. I thought they were supposed to be bastions of expressiveness.
Original post by martin7
Don't waste your time. Student Unions are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Instead, get involved with the Union and try to get the policy changed from the inside. Student Unions are supposed to be democratic organisations run by their members -- but all too often you find that people are happy to complain, but not actually do anything to get policy changed.


How would I go about that?

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