In September 2015, universities became subject to the legal duty to have due regard for the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism mandated by the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) was tasked with regulating this duty, and institutions were required to submit policies […]
Continue readingTag Archives: controversial
Student Rights on-campus at the University of Hull
Last Wednesday, Student Rights’ National Organiser, Eliot Miller, gave a presentation on extremist speakers and the Prevent Duty at the University of Hull. The talk was hosted by the university Secularist, Atheist and Humanist Society (HUSAH), which champions free-thinking, and examined many of the complaints from students about Prevent in an attempt to debunk the […]
Continue readingTommy Robinson still slated to appear at York (Update: Robinson claims event cancelled)
Update 23/01/2017: Robinson posted a video on Twitter suggesting his event was cancelled, and it is unclear if it went ahead as planned. He also claims to be booked in to speak at two more universities in the coming months. The controversial former leader of the English Defence League (EDL) still appears to be due […]
Continue readingStudent Rights on campus
Last week, Student Rights’ National Organiser, Elliot Miller, gave on-campus presentations in Exeter and Leeds focusing on challenging extremism and opening up debate on the Prevent duty. On 23rd November, Miller gave a presentation focused on the myths and realities of the Prevent duty at the University of Exeter Atheist, Humanist and Secular Society (AHS). […]
Continue readingNew NUS President sparks further controversy
The new academic year has barely started, yet the new President of the National Union of Students (NUS), Malia Bouattia, has once again sparked controversy. During her time as NUS Black Students’ Officer, Bouattia infamously opposed a motion condemning Islamic State, and earlier this year 50 Presidents of Jewish student societies criticised her for previously […]
Continue readingIndependent: NUS president Malia Bouattia suggests education cuts cause young people to join terror groups in Syria
The controversial new National Union of Students president has suggested Government cuts to education could be to blame for a rise in young people joining terror groups in Syria. Speaking during a debate at University College London, Malia Bouattia, 28, said the “political climate which we’re in” is causing people to take “certain actions and […]
Continue readingStudent Rights at the University of Nottingham
Last week, Student Rights’ National Organiser, Gray Sergeant, visited universities across the Midlands, meeting up with students from the University of Nottingham, the University of Leicester and the University of Warwick. On Wednesday evening, Gray spoke at the University of Nottingham Agnostic, Secularist and Humanist (UNASH) about extremism and free speech on campus. Students at […]
Continue readingRight2Debate motion passed at Exeter
Yesterday, the University of Exeter’s Student Union (SU) adopted ‘Right2Debate’, a policy designed to protect free speech while ensuring extreme and intolerant views are challenged. Rather than banning speakers, the policy will require event organisers to balance platforms when speakers who violate the SU’s safe space policies, are invited onto campus. It also requires these […]
Continue readingStudent Rights at the University of Westminster
Last night, Student Rights’ Director, Rupert Sutton, spoke at the University of Westminster at an event asking whether students should “promote or prevent the Prevent Strategy”. Appearing alongside Abdullah Al-Andalusi and Jahangir Mohammed, as well as University of Westminster lecturer Dr. Dibyesh Anand, he addressed the clear need for Prevent and sought to challenge the […]
Continue readingA step in the right direction at Kingston University
Earlier this week, Kingston University’s Department of Journalism hosted a panel discussion on the government’s Prevent Strategy. Last term, we saw a series of events where speakers from extreme groups went unchallenged as they condemned Prevent, spreading misleading and divisive information in the process. Monday’s event saw a rare and welcome attempt to provide an […]
Continue reading