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Student suing Kings college Medical school for racial discrimination

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Original post by Gizmo!
i think having ethnic diversity, in the form of local majority, corresponds directly to racist feelings, as evidenced in any area of the country where this exists.


Fair point - but I'm arguing on the side of the place being institutionally racist, when it evidently isn't due to this diversity existing there in the first place. Yes the EMDP students are mostly black - but that isn't a discrimination in itself, just due to the ethnicities in the populations this course happens to serve, she was privileged King's gave her a chance to do the EMDP course - it's not offered anywhere else.
I wonder whether she complained of the claimed racism BEFORE she failed of her final (sixth) year?
Reply 22
Original post by Mushi_master
Fair point - but I'm arguing on the side of the place being institutionally racist, when it evidently isn't due to this diversity existing there in the first place. Yes the EMDP students are mostly black - but that isn't a discrimination in itself, just due to the ethnicities in the populations this course happens to serve, she was privileged King's gave her a chance to do the EMDP course - it's not offered anywhere else.


yes i see your point, is the college itself racist? whislt medical colleges have been proven to be acting racistly in the past and its not impossible for it to happen, its true that Kings college itself doesnt seem to have actively caused racism. Most racism is allowed to thrive through passivity, mind. i personally dont think that the fact she got the place is a reason to discount racism, but its a point in there favour.

i think its unfair to say she was privelidged to be on the course on account of the EDMP selection process. Its really not a privelidge to have a background thats considerably poorer tha the rest of the students, and there isnt a med student alive at Kings (and hardly any applicants) who would say 'yeah i'll swap my lot, my background, my parent's wealth for her lot coo thanks'.
its a privelidge of course, to be a med student on a pathway to a good wage and a job hyou want to do.

i cant spell privelidge anymore :frown:
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by Gizmo!
yes i see your point, is the college itself racist? whislt medical colleges have been proven to be acting racistly in the past and its not impossible for it to happen, its true that Kings college itself doesnt seem to have actively caused racism. Most racism is allowed to thrive through passivity, mind. i personally dont think that the fact she got the place is a reason to discount racism, but its a point in there favour.

i think its unfair to say she was privelidged to be on the course on account of the EDMP selection process. Its really not a privelidge to have a background thats considerably poorer tha the rest of the students, and there isnt a med student alive at Kings who would say 'yeah i'll swap my lot, my background, my parent's wealth for her lot'.
its a privelidge of course, to be a med student on a pathway to a good wage and a job hyou want to do.

i cant spell privelidge anymore :frown:


Perhaps it's been allowed passively, but I'm sure if the college was aware of it's happenings it would put a stop to it. I just think it's stinks of putting blame on her own failings, which is pretty sad.

Well, of course her background is not a privilege, but being given an opportunity she wouldn't have gotten elsewhere is something she should most definitely respect.
Reply 24
Original post by Mushi_master
Perhaps it's been allowed passively, but I'm sure if the college was aware of it's happenings it would put a stop to it. I just think it's stinks of putting blame on her own failings, which is pretty sad.
its obvious you have had good experiences with your college, so that only adds to there defence of being reputable.


Well, of course her background is not a privilege, but being given an opportunity she wouldn't have gotten elsewhere is something she should most definitely respect.
so, do you think she doesnt respect it, Mushi?
Reply 25
Original post by WhuTom
I agree. I'm guessing she failed the degree or did poorly in it too.

She did the 6 year EMDP which accepts people from deprived backgrounds to gain an MBBS Medicine degree - the same as any medical school nationwide - with entry requirements as low as A-level BBC. The drop out rates for this degree program are substantially higher than the normal 5 year Medicine degree at KCL. If anyone gets BBB or BBC in A-levels they're just not good enough to do medicine, and one of the sources said she failed a 2008 exam. I don't really buy the story.


:facepalm2:

The drop out rates aren't higher, emdps gave to pass first year with fewer chances to resit than the standard course. But even still the percentage of people that don't complete the degree is similar.
Original post by Gizmo!
its obvious you have had good experiences with your college, so that only adds to there defence of being reputable.


so, do you think she doesnt respect it, Mushi?


I think it's likely she doesn't, suing them is a very extreme action to take. I would also like to add pulling out the racist card is a bad version of racism itself.

Also - I'm certainly not from a privileged background, definitely have less money than most, and certainly don't look/dress like your 'standard medical student' (kind of a 'goth' with stupidly long blonde hair - a side point and kind a different situation of course); and I would say as a whole the college are incredibly acceptable of individuality and the like, and I have huge respect for it as an institution.
Reply 27
Original post by Mushi_master
I think it's likely she doesn't, suing them is a very extreme action to take. I would also like to add pulling out the racist card is a bad version of racism itself.


it may be so, mushi. maybe she is being disrespectful.

if shes right, i think a lost medical career and racism is pretty disrespectful towards her, in far greater magnitudes.



Also - I'm certainly not from a privileged background, definitely have less money than most, and certainly don't look/dress like your 'standard medical student' (kind of a 'goth' with stupidly long blonde hair - a side point and kind a different situation of course);
lol bit unfair therem that sounds like Kinkerz, hes not poshie.


and I would say as a whole the college are incredibly acceptable of individuality and the like, and I have huge respect for it as an institution.
its good to be proud of your establishment, I have a twisted pride in mine even though its deck full of private school poshies. And it would be wrong to judge an institution (or an individual) till proven guilty.

mind you, lots of people at Georges had the same respect for their place until the day their racist selection policy was brought to light. The shock on their faces. Its still even today a fantastic dig for kings students to bury their georges buddies. Lets see what the future brings.
Reply 28
Original post by Mushi_master
This is old hat now.

Anyway, have any of you ever been to King's (Guy's more specifically), hardly a racist institution - it's an incredibly ethnically diverse place. Just someone pinning the blame on someone else for her own failings.


I go to Guys every monday for immunotherapy injections at the allergy clinic. I have to say it does seem very diverse! However I think her accusations were levelled more at certain managers, which is why I didn't dismiss it outright when I first read it.

Although it seem like BS to me now.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by winter_mute
I go to Guys every monday for immunotherapy injection at the allergy clinic. I have to say it does seem very diverse! However I think her accusations were levelled more at certain managers, which is why I didn't dismiss it outright when I first read it.

Although it seem like BS to me now.


Trust me the management at Guy's can be fierce, that sort of messing wouldn't go unpunished if known about!
Original post by Gizmo!
it may be so, mushi. maybe she is being disrespectful.

if shes right, i think a lost medical career and racism is pretty disrespectful towards her, in far greater magnitudes.



lol bit unfair therem that sounds like Kinkerz, hes not poshie.


its good to be proud of your establishment, I have a twisted pride in mine even though its deck full of private school poshies. And it would be wrong to judge an institution (or an individual) till proven guilty.

mind you, lots of people at Georges had the same respect for their place until the day their racist selection policy was brought to light. The shock on their faces. Its still even today a fantastic dig for kings students to bury their georges buddies. Lets see what the future brings.


Of course it is, but she failed her exams - and I think it's pretty obvious she's distressed about it and is trying to find a loop hole in it all, better than blaming herself right?

Of course not everyone's a poshie - otherwise I wouldn't be there :P

Well only time will tell I suppose. But for now my opinion is that it's completely ridiculous.
Reply 31
Original post by Mushi_master
Trust me the management at Guy's can be fierce, that sort of messing wouldn't go unpunished if known about!


Out of interest what's the ethnic spread of your cohort like? Walking around the campus (and the macdonalds under guys too) a little bit, it defiantly seems to made up of people largely from the Indian sub-continent, that's why it seemed so weird that one girl would feel discriminated against.
Reply 32
Original post by Gizmo!
lots of people at Georges had the same respect for their place until the day their racist selection policy was brought to light. The shock on their faces. Its still even today a fantastic dig for kings students to bury their georges buddies. Lets see what the future brings.


Can you elaborate?
Reply 33
Original post by Mushi_master
I think it's likely she doesn't, suing them is a very extreme action to take. I would also like to add pulling out the racist card is a bad version of racism itself.


Unless there was racism she had to deal with, that affected her badly and was ignored, of course...
Original post by winter_mute
Out of interest what's the ethnic spread of your cohort like? Walking around the campus (and the macdonalds under guys too) a little bit, it defiantly seems to made up of people largely from the Indian sub-continent, that's why it seemed so weird that one girl would feel discriminated against.


You've pretty much nailed it there.
Original post by EskimoJo
Unless there was racism she had to deal with, that affected her badly and was ignored, of course...


Of course, in which case she'd be totally justified in her actions. I'm just saying from personal experience of the college - this is very, very unlikely; and I've certainly not seen "institutionalised racism" myself, and I surely hope it is not present.
Reply 36
Original post by Mushi_master
You've pretty much nailed it there.


Original post by Mushi_master
Of course, in which case she'd be totally justified in her actions. I'm just saying from personal experience of the college - this is very, very unlikely; and I've certainly not seen "institutionalised racism" myself, and I surely hope it is not present.


Not sure what race you are, but just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not there. I also think a comment like 'pulling the race card is a bad version of racism itself' is really quite stupid since a) what's a good version of racism and b) it's only bad if there's no racism. Exchange the fashionable term 'pulling the race card' with 'complaining about racial discrimination' and see how it sounds then.

Also, just because people don't complain and there are loads of people to complain doesn't mean there's nothing to complain about. You can't say there was no racial discrimination before Rosa Parks decided to sit where she wanted, nor would you say (I hope) that she should have respected her opportunity to be on the bus on the first place and not complained/sue.

(also, just pointing out that I'm kind of playing devil's advocate here. I initially came here to ask (sarcastically) if she's the only non-White person on the course, but decided to argue against you instead :top:)
Reply 37
Medicine is an incredibly racist snobby institution - too many middle class white girls hate that their BBF didn't get in and feel all threatened when there is a working class person there, even more so when they're a 'different colour'.
Original post by veux
Medicine is an incredibly racist snobby institution - too many middle class white girls hate that their BBF didn't get in and feel all threatened when there is a working class person there, even more so when they're a 'different colour'.


Evidence?
Reply 39
Original post by Jamie
Evidence?


Experience.

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