Should there be an upper TSR age limit?

OK, I'm not one for people asking about whether or not they should stay on or flounce from TSR, however I have a serious question.

As my ID implies I am older than most on here; I have helped out a few overseas students and parents with info, I spend a bit of time on the Movie section of TSR (helped the mods put together the Movie Madness competition) and like some other parents on TSR are able to view things from the perspective of being a graduate with children now at Uni. I also work with and have advised graduate recruits.

My understanding was that TSR was open to anyone connected to student life ... however I have been directly asked if I am "a paedo" for posting on this site.

Clearly I find this question distressing, however it made me wonder. Do you guys freak out at the thought of 'older' posters using TSR, regardless of their student connections? Should parents be banned? Should there be an age limit for TSR?

I would genuinely be interested in your thoughts.

Regards

just a dad

Well how do you have an upper age limit, if there is no upper age limit for university? It would become "The Young Students Room"

Apart from anything else, it would also be blatant age discrimination.

I do find it a bit weird when people in their 40s+ actively engage in discussions with people 20 years younger than them. If this happened in real life it would be a bit odd.

I also find it odd that someone would join this forum if they are not currently studying at uni, or have completed a degree.

I do find it a bit weird when people in their 40s+ actively engage in discussion with people 20 years younger than them. If this happened in real life it would be a bit odd. However, I can see the benefits of having older members and they outweigh any negatives.

I also find it odd that someone would join this forum if they are not currently studying at uni, or have completed a degree. That's why you end up with so many idiots on this site trying to engage in debate with people far more intelligent than them. People know their place in the real word but these boundaries disappear online, meaning the beautician's opinion is worth the same as the doctor's.

Fair question, perhaps I should have said upper limit for ex-students.

To be fair, tenofthem (who if I am not mistaken is a mathematics teacher) is probably one of the most helpful members here, and by her own admission, is older than most of us.

No. I'm not even a student and I post here

Really? I work with and advise people much younger than me, why would "actively engaging in discussions" with them be "a bit odd"? I'm not trying to be difficult, just interested in why you feel that way.

As a graduate I don't fall into the latter category, but I can see why a parent of a first-time undergraduate might want to ask questions on TSR. Is that not reasonable?

Let's just follow that for a minute. The problem is that TSR has a huge number of wannabe members - GCSE students looking to their A levels, and A level students looking to university.

Would you want to prohibit potential mature students (i.e. people who are not yet students, but intend to be)?

Personally, I don't think it matters. As long as I have been on TSR, most of the very best members have been the older or slightly older ones.

As a parent, how would you feel if your children went on a degree course which included a fair few mature students? I don't imagine you'd mind too much?

Ah, don't misunderstand me, I am not actually arguing in favour of any age limit. My OP was really in response to the accusation made, and I wanted to get a sense of how TSR feels about older contributors.

It depends on what the discussion is about. I would appreciate the advice of older members on certain subjects, but would find it a bit strange if they posted in a thread about getting rat arsed during freshers' week. Like I said, I would not stop them from joining as I think they are valuable to the forum.

The same goes for your second question: it would be fine to join to ask questions, but would be weird if they posted in threads where an adult's opinion wouldn't really be appropriate.

Most TSRians are fine about ages on TSR, but some of them get squeamish in real life.

If you look up any thread about a relationship with an age difference, most of them are extremely negative. There are a few threads about whether or not mature students should be "allowed" to socialise with normal students.